Hockey India, on Friday, announced an 18-member Indian squad for the FIH men’s World Cup scheduled for January 2023 in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, Odisha. The squad has been selected from 33 probables after a two-day trial in the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Bengaluru centre.
Harmanpreet Singh has been named captain of the Indian team, while Amit Rohidas will be his deputy for the marquee event. India, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, will look to end its 47-year drought for the World Cup. It last won the trophy in 1975. In the 2018 World Cup, held in Odisha, India was knocked out by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
P.R. Sreejesh, who will be playing his fourth World Cup and his third on home soil, has been chosen as India’s first-choice goalkeeper, while Krishna Pathak will join the squad as a second-choice keeper.
Midfielder Vivek Sagar, who missed the Australia tour as well as the FIH Pro League due to an ankle injury, has been named to the squad.
Talking about the preparation for the tournament, India men’s team coach Graham Reid said, “We have also had a great preparation over the last two months including a home Pro League series and a very tough tour to Australia against the World’s No.1.”
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India is clubbed in Pool D along with England, Spain and Wales. The Men in Blue will play their opening game on January 13 against Spain at the newly built Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.
The final will be played on January 29.
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