India have announced their 16-member squad for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris scheduled from 26th July to 11th August 2024.
Defender Harmanpreet Singh will lead the Men in Blue in Paris with Hardik Singh as the vice-captain. This will be Harmanpreet’s third consecutive Olympics. He was the youngest member of the Indian hockey squad at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
PR Sreejesh and midfielder Manpreet Singh will be making their fourth Olympic appearances after their inclusion in the Paris Games.
Surprisingly, Sreejesh is the only goalkeeper in the squad so far with Krishan Bahadur Pathak in the alternate list.
There will also be a total of five debutants for India at the Paris Olympics with Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Raj Kumar Pal, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh all included in the Indian Hockey squad.
Defender Varun Kumar is the main exclusion from the team but the decision was more or less expected knowing that he is involved in a criminal case against him.
Tokyo hero Simranjeet Singh has also been excluded from the squad as he failed to impress the selectors.
Coach Craig Fulton spoke about the team selection and said, “The selection process for the Paris Olympics’ squad was incredibly competitive due to the depth of talent within our ranks, however, I am confident that every player chosen will bring their best to Paris.
Each player selected has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and resilience throughout our rigorous preparation phase. Our journey has been marked by unwavering commitment to excellence and a collective drive to elevate Indian hockey on the world stage.”
“This squad embodies a perfect blend of experienced players and promising young talents, giving us the versatility and energy required to tackle the challenges ahead. Our focus has been on building a cohesive team that can adapt to different playing styles and situations, and I believe we have achieved that.” he added.
Indian Hockey Squad For Paris Olympics
Goalkeepers:
Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran
Defenders:
Jarmanpreet Singh
Amit Rohidas
Harmanpreet Singh
Sumit
Sanjay
Midfielders:
Rajkumar Pal
Shamsher Singh
Manpreet Singh
Hardik Singh
Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards:
Abhishek
Sukhjeet Singh
Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
Mandeep Singh
Gurjant Singh
Alternate Players:
Nilakanta Sharma
Jugraj Singh
Krishan Bahadur Pathak
Group and Fixtures of India at Paris Olympics
India have been drawn in Pool B at this year’s Paris Olympics alongside Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Ireland, and defending champions Belgium.
Craig Fulton’s side will kick off their campaign on 27th July against New Zealand. They will play their second match against Argentina on 29th July followed by Ireland on 30th July. Their fourth game will be against Belgium on 1st August and will face Australia on 2nd August in their final Pool match.
The top four teams from each Pool will qualify for the Quarter-Finals.
India is no stranger to Olympic glory having won 12 medals including 8 golds at the competition. This year, the Harmanpreet-led side will look to add another medal to their tally.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
