34 players named for national camp ahead of Azlan Shah Cup

Youngsters from the Sultan of Johor Cup silver-medal winning India Colts team have been included for showing continued improvement and potential to match the standards at senior level.

All 18 players in the Indian team that took part at the World Cup last December have been retained.

Hockey India on Saturday named 34 players for the senior men’s national camp, beginning February 18 at the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru, to prepare for the season’s first tournament — Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Hockey India has retained all 18 players in the Indian team that took part at the World Cup last December with the month-long camp concluding on March 18.

READ | Yuvraj Walmiki: Honoured to be part of Sportstar Aces Awards

The list also features Sultan of Johor Cup silver-medal winning India Colts' Shilanand Lakra, Suman Beck, Mandeep Mor, Yashdeep Siwach, Vishal Antil and Gursahabjit Singh who had figured in the 34-member camp for the World Cup.

The youngsters have been credited for showing continued improvement and potential to match the standards at the senior level.

“The team for the 28th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will be selected from this core group of 34 players after a selection trial is held in Bengaluru in the last week of February. I am happy to note that the junior players who have recently been inducted into the senior camp have shown significant improvement and that the depth in the group is strong,” said David John, High Performance Director, Hockey India.