The much-anticipated 16-person Indian Men’s Hockey Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics in Paris, scheduled for July 26–August 11, 2024, was revealed by Hockey India. Five Olympic debutantes are on the team, which has been carefully honed via rigorous training at the national camp at the SAI Center in Bengaluru.
The team’s outstanding drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh will lead it as captain, while explosive midfielder Hardik Singh will take on the role of vice captain. Harmanpreet, who made her Olympic debut in 2016 in Rio, will be competing in her third Olympics. She also helped India win a bronze medal in 2020 in Tokyo.
Two important members of the team are midfielder Manpreet Singh and veteran goalie PR Sreejesh, who will both be competing in their fourth Olympics. Sanjay, Amit Rohidas, Sumit, Harmanpreet Singh, and Jarmanpreet Singh are the members of the defence. Raj Kumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad make up the midfield lineup. Players with skill like Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay make up the forward line.
The other athletes picked as alternates are defender Jugraj Singh, midfielder Nilakanta Sharma, and goalie Krishan Bahadur Pathak.
Interestingly, Abhishek, Raj Kumar Pal, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay, and Jarmanpreet Singh are the five athletes who will be competing in their first Olympics in Paris.
Speaking on the team selection, Chief Coach Craig Fulton 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.”
He added, “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.”
Regarding the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, India has been drawn into Pool B, which also includes Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland, the reigning champions. The team needs to place in the top four in its pool in order to move on to the Quarterfinals.
The Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa, and the host country, France, make up Pool A, which will set up a fierce 12-team men’s hockey competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will play their first game of the season on July 27 against New Zealand, and then on July 29 against Argentina. Following that, on July 30 and August 1, respectively, they will play Belgium and Ireland. On August 2, they will play Australia in their last group stage match.
The Indian Men’s Hockey squad, lead by Harmanpreet, will be hoping to add another medal to the collection. It is noteworthy to remark that the squad has a strong Olympic history, having won an amazing 12 medals, including 8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronze.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team for Paris 2024 Olympics:
Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
