UTTAM Singh will captain India, and Araijeet Singh Hundal was appointed deputy for the upcoming FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup in Kuala Lumpur from Dec 5-16.
However, all eyes will be on their formidable drag-flick specialist Amandeep Lakra. A prominent member of the Indian team, Amandeep was the top scorer with six goals from five matches in the 11th Sultan of Johor Cup 2023.
The reigning Asian champions are drawn in Group C of the World Cup alongside South Korea, Spain and Canada. They finished fourth in the 2021 World Cup in Bhubaneswar Odisha and hope the Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium will be kind to them.
“We will give added emphasis to our circle entry,” said Amandeep in a recent interview with Hockey India, the official website of the Indian hockey governing body.
He stressed that competing against European teams in the 11th Sultan of Johor Cup had provided him with unique learning opportunities and techniques.
“I have learned a lot from the SOJC and I am going to utilise this experience in the Junior World Cup,” he said.
“I faced challenges, converting opportunities, frequently struggling with nerves, but now I have built my confidence.”
Amandeep shared his thoughts on how India would perform at the Junior World Cup. “We have high hopes of not only participating but making it to the final.”
The squad comprises a mix of seasoned players, with Mohith H S and Ranvijay Singh Yadav guarding the goalposts, and a robust defensive lineup featuring Shardanand Tiwari, Amandeep Lakra, Rohit, Sunil JoJo, and Amir Ali.
The midfield is fortified with Vishnukant Singh, Poovanna C B, Rajinder Singh, Amandeep, and Aditya Singh, while the forward line boasts the skills of Uttam Singh, Aditya Lalage, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Sudeep Chirmako, and Boby Singh Dhami. Sukhvinder and Sunit Lakra have been named as reserve players for this prestigious event.
India’s coach C.K. Kumar said the team is all set to take their journey much forward after returning to national camp training in Bengaluru to improve on weak areas which they identified during their bronze-medal winning performance in the Sultan of Johor Cup.
“We have a formidable squad. We draw inspiration from the 2016 Junior World Cup winning team. We are fortunate to have a bunch of seasoned players who were part of the last Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
“They will shoulder leadership roles and mentor their teammates. Our ultimate priority is to clinch victory in the Junior World Cup, and we are committed to taking measured steps,” said Kumar.
The Indian team qualified for the Junior World Cup after defeating Pakistan 2-1 in the final of the 2023 Junior Asia Cup, held in Salalah, Oman.