Harmanpreet Singh to lead Indian men’s hockey team at 2024 Paris Olympics

Harmanpreet Singh will lead a 16-member Indian men’s hockey team at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Hardik Singh has been appointed as Harmanpreet’s deputy.

The squad also features veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and former skipper Manpreet Singh. Both players will be playing in their fourth Olympic Games. Meanwhile, Harmanpreet will be in action in his third Olympic Games.

The team has the right mix of experience and youth with five Olympic debutants in the squad. Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Raj Kumar Pal, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh are the five players who will make their Olympic debut in Paris.

The team, under the tutelage of head coach Craig Fulton and the support staff, are undergoing an intense training and preparation at a national camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Bengaluru.

The defence line includes Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Sumit, and Sanjay, while the midfield will see the contributions of Raj Kumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad. The forward line boasts formidable players such as Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, and Gurjant Singh.

Additionally, goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, midfielder Nilakanta Sharma, and defender Jugraj Singh have been named as alternate athletes.

The Indian men’s hockey team are grouped in Pool B alongside defending champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland.

To advance to the quarterfinals, a team must finish in the top-four finish in their group.

The Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa and France are in Pool A.

Harmanpreet’s men will start their 2024 Paris Olympics sojourn on July 27 against New Zealand. They’ll meet Argentina on July 29 and go on to face Ireland and Belgium on July 30 and August 1, respectively. India’s final group stage game is against Australia on August 2.

Indian men’s hockey team for 2024 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