Men’s sub-junior hockey group formed; to undergo training under Sardar Singh

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) A group of 40 sub-junior men’s hockey players will receive guidance to hone their skills under legendary midfielder Sardar Singh when the national camp commences in Rourkela on Monday.

Hockey India recently formed a 40-member men’s sub-junior core croup for a national coaching camp as part of its commitment to nurture young talent under former Indian captain Sardar, who has been appointed mentor-cum-coach.

The players, who will undergo training at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, have been selected on the basis of their recent performances in the HI Sub-Junior National Championships.

The camp will be followed by international matches in Europe.

Sardar said the camp was a great initiative to develop a supply line for Indian hockey.

“The inception of the men’s sub-junior core group stands as a pivotal moment in Hockey India’s ongoing journey to elevate Indian hockey to international prominence. This initiative reflects HI’s dedication to develop a dynamic pipeline of emerging talent, guaranteeing a prosperous future for men’s hockey on the world stage,” said Sardar in a Hockey India release.

The coach said that besides focusing on improving the skills of the players, the camp will also pay attention to physical fitness and look to boost “mental resilience”.

“The camp will provide an immersive experience for these young athletes. Rigorous training programs will focus on honing skills, enhancing physical fitness, refining tactical acumen, and bolstering mental resilience.

“I firmly believe that through providing these young athletes with premier coaching, cutting-edge facilities, and the opportunity to compete at the highest level, we have unwavering confidence in their capacity to excel and bring honour to our nation,” he added.

List of probables:

Goalkeepers: Rahul Bhardwaj, Atif Khan, Abhimanyu Gouda.

Defenders: Sukhmanpreet Singh, Mithlesh Singh, Nitin, Sohil Ali, Sami Rizwan, Pradip Mandal, Rohit Kullu, Vishal Pandey, Ashu Maurya, Ujjwal Pal.

Midfielders: Neeraj, Rohit Tirkey, Ghuran Lohra, Rohit Pradhan, Suresh Sharma, Prabhjot Singh, Manmeet Singh Rai, Arun J, Rahul Rajbhar, Rahul Yadav, Afridi, Bijay Shaw.

Forwards: Gurpreet Singh, Srijan Yadav, Happy, Sunil, Ritendra Pratap Singh, Aashir Aadil Khan, Deonath Nanwar, Deepak Pradhan, Yojin Minz, Harshdeep Singh, Ketan Kushwaha, Rohit Irengbam Singh, Ajeet Yadav, Sundarajith M, and Moohamed Jaeed.