New Delhi: Sardar Singh will be leading a young Indian side in the very important Asia Cup Hockey Tournament, which is scheduled from August 24 to September 1 in Ipoh, Malaysia. This team was announced by Hockey India on Sunday.
The Indian team will be leaving for Ipoh on August 16.
The team will be missing the likes of Danish Mujtaba, S V Sunil, Gurwinder Singh Chandi and Akashdeep Singh who have been the strikers for the national team for quite a while. But the couple of fresh legs in forward-line is being introduced in Ramandeep Singh and Nikin Thimmaiah, who will be playing alongside Nithin Thimmaiah, Mandeep Singh and Malak Singh, who are the other three strikers in the squad.
Mid-fielder S K Uthappa and defender Amit Rohidas has also been roped in the squad, which will be lead by Sardar while goalkeeper P R Sreejesh has been named as the vice-captain.
India is placed in Pool B along side Korea, Bangladesh and Oman while Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Chinese-Taipei complete the Pool A line-up.
India will open its campaign against Oman on August 24 followed by matches against Korea (August 26) and Bangladesh (August 28).
Squad: Goalkeepers: P R Sreejesh (vice-captain), P T Rao.
Defenders: V R Raghunath, Rupinder Pal Singh, Amit Rohidas, Kothajit Singh, Birendra Lakra, Gurmail Singh.
Midfielders: Sardar Singh (captain), Manpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh, Dharamvir Singh, S K Uthappa.
Forwards: Ramandeep Singh, Nithin Thimmaiah, Mandeep Singh, Malak Singh, Nikin Thimmaiah.
