Asian Games
Asian Games: Karthi, Akashdeep miss out; Lalit returns to Indian hockey team
Indian men's and women's team will be target Olympic qualification at the upcoming Asian Games in China.
Indian men's and women's teams look to make their best possible finishes at the FIH Pro League.
Experienced Laliy Upadhyay made a comeback while Akashdeep Singh and Karthi Selvam have been dropped from the 18-member Indian men's hockey team selected for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Three players from the champion side of the Asian Champions Trophy were dropped- Striker Akashdeep Singh, Karthi Selvam, and defender Jugraj Singh.
Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and midfielder Hardik Singh will continue to don the roles of captain and vice-captain in the Asian Games.
Abhishek and Lalit came in the place of Akashdeep and Karthi while Sanjay replaced Jugraj Singh. The team has two goalkeepers veteran PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak.
A total of six defenders, five midfielders, and as many forwards will board the plane for China.
Goalkeeper Savita Punia will lead the 18-member Indian women's hockey team for the upcoming Asian Games.
Baljeet Kaur and Jyoti Chhatri are the three players, who were part of a tour of Germany and Spain last month and were dropped from the team.
India is placed in Pool A alongside reigning Asian Games champions Japan, arch-rivals Pakistan, and neighbours Bangladesh, Singapore, and Uzbekistan in the men's competition. The Pool B features Korea, Malaysia, China, Oman, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The Indian women, who won the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, are placed in Pool A along with Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore while reigning champions Japan, China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia are placed in Pool B.
Indian men will open their campaign against Uzbekistan on September 24, while their women counterparts will take on Singapore in their opening match on September 27.
Indian Hockey squads for the Asian Games:
Men's team: PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak, Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Sanjay, Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh (vice-captain), Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Abhishek, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sukhjeet Singh and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay.
Women's team: Savita (captain), Bichu Devi Kharibam, Deepika, Lalremsiami, Monika, Navneet Kaur, Neha, Nisha, Sonika, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Deep Grace Ekka (vice-captain), Vandana Katariya, Sangita Kumari, Vaishnavi Vittal Phalke, Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu, Salima Tete.
