Indian hockey squad for Australia tour announced

Almost the entire Indian men’s hockey team that bagged gold at the Incheon Asian Games has been retained for the tour of Australia next month. The 10-day tour, from October 30-November 10, is part of India’s preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy, to be hosted in Bhubaneswar from December 6-14.

The Indian squad, announced by Hockey India on Thursday, would be led by Sardar Singh and includes 15 of the 16 members at the Asiad. Only Chinglensana Singh has been omitted. Young drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh has been included in the squad along with defender Harbir Singh and striker Lalit Upadhyay.

India would play four matches against the Australian national side at Perth and one against the Australian ‘A’ team

The squad : Goalkeepers : P.R. Sreejesh, Harjot Singh; defenders : Gurbaj Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, V.R. Raghunath, Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh Khadangbam, Gurjinder Singh, Harbir Singh Sandhu; midfielders : Manpreet Singh, S.K. Uthappa, Sardar Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Danish Mujtaba, Satbir Singh; forwards: Nikkin Thimmaiah, S.V. Sunil, Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay.

Earlier PTI story: >Sardar to lead 21-member hockey squad for Australia tour