Diwakar Ram to lead U-21 hockey team vs Pakistan

Drag-flicker Diwakar Ram will lead the Indian under-21 hockey team against Pakistan in a five-match away Test series from November 11 to 21.

The 20-member squad includes promising juniors in Innocent Kullu, Birendra Lakra, Mandip Antil, Amardeep Ekka and others.

The team will be accompanied by five officials, including chief coach A K Bansal, coach Clarence Lobo, manager Rajeev Mehta, trainer Pradip Dutta and umpire G S Sangha.

The tourists will start their five-Test campaign in Karachi on November 1, followed by matches at Rawalpindi on November 13, Faisalabad on November 15, Sialkot on November 18 and Lahore on November 21.

The team:

Goalkeepers: Mrinal Chaubey and C Santosh Kumar

Defenders: Diwakar Ram (captain), Innocent Kullu, Manjit Kullu, Hari Kripal Yadav

Midfielders: Birendra Lakra, Amardeep Ekka, Belsezer Horo, Vivek, Rupinder Pal Singh, Mohd. Asif

Forwards: Pramod Kumar, Jagwant Singh, Mandip Antil, Danish Mujtaba, Dharamvir Singh, Jai Karan, Mohd. Amir, Karamjit Singh.

Officials: Rajeev Mehta (manager), A K Bansal (chief coach), Clarence Lobo (coach), Pradip Dutta (trainer), G S Sangha (umpire).