In an exciting development for the Indian hockey fraternity, Hockey India revealed the roster of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team on Saturday.
This team is slated to embark on a tour of Europe spanning from the May 20 to May 29. The tour aims to provide valuable exposure and experience to the young athletes as they compete against formidable opponents across three nations.
The Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team is scheduled to play five matches during their European tour. Their opponents will include national squads from Belgium and Germany, along with a Netherlands club team known as Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push.
The tour itinerary kicks off with a match against Belgium in Antwerp on May 20, followed by a rematch against the same opponents in Breda, Netherlands on May 22. Subsequently, the team will face off against Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push in Breda on May 23. A pivotal match against Germany is scheduled for May 28 in Germany, with the tour culminating in a rematch against Germany on May 29, back in Breda.
The team, under the leadership of defender Rohit, is brimming with talent and potential. Shardanand Tiwari will serve as his deputy. The goalkeeping responsibilities will be shouldered by Prince Deep Singh and Bikramjit Singh. The defensive lineup comprises Shardanand Tiwari, Yogember Rawat, Anmol Ekka, Rohit, Manoj Yadav, and Talem Priyo Barta.
In midfield, the team boasts Ankit Pal, Roshan Kujur, Bipin Billavara Ravi, Mukesh Toppo, Manmeet Singh, and Vachan HA. The forward line is comprised of Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Arshdeep Singh, Gurjot Singh, Mohammad Konain Dad, Dilraj Singh, and Gursewak Singh.
Captain Rohit expressed optimism about the upcoming challenges, stating, “We have been training hard at our camp and have developed an understanding of each other’s gameplay. It will be wonderful to play together against teams from other nations to help us build on our game and get better through this kind of exposure.”
Echoing his sentiments, Vice-Captain Shardanand Tiwari emphasized the importance of the tour in assessing the team's strengths and areas for improvement. He said, “This will be a wonderful experience and will go a long way in evaluating where we stand as a team and as individual players. It will be a great way to figure out our strengths and what areas we would need to touch upon.”
With high spirits and determination, the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team is poised to make their mark on the international stage during their European tour.(UNI)
