Akashdeep to lead for Jr Asia Cup hockey

Akashdeep Singh will lead an 18-member Indian squad in the seventh Junior Asia Cup hockey, scheduled to be held at Malacca, Malaysia, from May 3 to 13.

Defender Amit Rohidas is the vice-captain.

The nine-nation tournament features Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

India won the last two editions, at Karachi and Chennai, in 2004 and 2008 respectively.

The tournament is the qualifier for the FIH Junior Men's World Cup in 2013.

Selection trials, conducted at SAI Centre, Bangalore, on April 6 and 7, were witnessed by Hockey India selectors B P Govinda, Syed Ali and Col Balbir Singh, along with government Observer Harbinder Singh.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Sushant Tirkey, Keshav Dutt

Defenders: Sukhmanjit Singh, Amit Rohidas (vice-captain), Sampath Kumar

Midfielders: Pardeep Mor, Harjit Singh, Surender Kumar, Gurmail Singh, Prabhdeep Singh, Satbir Singh, Munish Rana.

Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh (captain), P L Thimmanna, Malak Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Naveen Antil.

Standbys: Bhisham Singh Phairembam (goalkeeper), Gaganpreet Singh (defender), Amit Kumar (midfielder), Jarmanpreet Singh (midfielder), Amon Mirash Tirkey (midfielder), Talwinder Singh (midfielder), Ranjit Singh (forward), Parvinder Singh (forward).