Sardara rested, Manpreet to lead India at Asian Hockey CT

Skipper Sardara Singh has been rested for third Asian Champions Trophy. In his absence, Hockey India said, midfielder Manpreet Singh will lead India’s 18-member squad for the tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan, from November 2-10.

Manpreet led India admirably during the third Sultan of Johor Cup and guided the junior team to victory in Ipoh.

The upcoming tournament will be good preparation for the Junior World Cup, scheduled in December, and the squad includes 13 players from the side that won the colts' title recently.

Kothajit Singh has been named the vice-captain for the six-nation tournament that involves China, Japan, Malaysia, Oman and Pakistan.

The team opens its campaign against China on November 2, followed by matches against Japan (Nov 3), Oman (Nov 5), Pakistan (Nov 7) and Malaysia (Nov 8).

India, who won the inaugural competition, finished runners-up after losing to Pakistan 4-5 in the final in 2012.

Hockey India selectors B P Govinda, R P Singh and Arjun Halappa; Director High Performance Roelant Oltmans; Gregg Clark, foreign coach of the junior men's team; and Baljeet Singh Saini, coach junior men's, team along with government observer Harbinder Singh picked the squad after trials at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium, in Delhi, on October 9-10.

"The Asian Champions Trophy gives us an opportunity to allow our junior players to showcase their skills and gain experience in the international environment," Hockey India secretary General Narinder Batra said.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Sushant Tirkey, Harjot Singh

Defenders: Gurjinder Singh, Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Sukhmanjit Singh, Pardeep Mor

Midfielders: Prabhdeep Singh, Manpreet Singh (Capt), Satbir Singh, Harjeet Singh, Imran Khan, Kothajit Singh (vice-capt)

Forwards: Malak Singh, Mandeep Singh, Talwinder Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh.

Standbys: Jagdeep Dayal (goalkeeper), Gagandeep Singh (defender), Jarmanpreet Singh (defender), Lalit Upadhyay (Midfielder), Affan Yousuf (Forward), Amon Mirash Tirkey (Forward). 

Image: Manpreet Singh