Harmanpreet to lead Indian squad for FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 European leg

Hockey India on Thursday announced the 24-member Indian men’s squad for the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25, set to be held in Amstelveen, Netherlands, and Antwerp, Belgium from June 7 to 22, 2025.

Harmanpreet Singh, the experienced drag-flicker, will continue to lead the side as captain, while Hardik Singh will serve as vice-captain. India will kick off their European campaign with back-to-back matches against the Netherlands on June 7 and 9, followed by clashes with Argentina on June 11 and 12 at the Wagner Stadium in Amstelveen.

The team will then move to Antwerp for two games each against Australia on June 14 and 15, and hosts Belgium on June 21 and 22, rounding off their European leg of the prestigious global league.

Squad Composition:

Goalkeepers:

Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera

Defenders:

Sumit, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Yashdeep Siwach

Midfielders:

Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh (VC), Rajinder Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh

Forwards:

Gurjant Singh, Abhishek, Shilanand Lakra, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh

India previously competed in the home leg of the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar, securing 15 points from five wins in eight matches. They are currently third in the standings, with the top-placed team earning direct qualification for the 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.

Head coach Craig Fulton emphasized the need for consistency and experience:

“We wanted a bit more experience in the squad this time around and I’m really happy with the selection. Since World Cup qualification is on the line, we’re pushing to get as many points as possible.”

Fulton noted key takeaways from the home leg, including the need to improve penalty corner conversion rates and turn losses into draws to collect more points:

“We haven’t drawn any games so far and need to start converting tight contests into shootouts to stay competitive.”

With strong leadership and a blend of youth and experience, the Indian team will aim to maximize points in this crucial phase of the league.