Defender Sanjay will captain the Indian men’s hockey team at the 31st Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, with several senior players rested for the prestigious invitational tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia, from November 23 to 30.
Both first-choice goalkeepers, Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera, have been rested. Pawan and Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar will replace them.
Regular captain Harmanpreet Singh, experienced midfielder Manpreet Singh, and striker Mandeep Singh will also skip the tournament.
The defensive line will include Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, and Amit Rohidas, along with Poovanna Chandura Boby, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, and Yashdeep Siwach.
The midfield will be managed by Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem,
Vivek Sagar Prasad, and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen.
Leading the attack will be Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Dilpreet Singh, and Abhishek.
Standbys for the tournament are Varun Kumar, Vishnu Kant Singh, Hardik Singh, and Angad Bir Singh.
Chief coach Craig Fulton commented, “The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has always been a key tournament in the international hockey calendar, and we are excited to participate with a balanced squad. Our focus has been on refining our structure in both attack and defence, improving decision-making under pressure, and maintaining consistency throughout the game. This group has shown great discipline and hunger in training, and we believe they are ready to take on the challenge.”
Fulton added, “We look forward to strong performances in Ipoh and using this tournament as an important step in our long-term 2026 World Cup and Asian Games cycle.”
India will begin their campaign against Korea on November 23, followed by matches against Belgium (November 24), hosts Malaysia (November 26), New Zealand (November 27), and Canada (November 29).
The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final on November 30.
India last won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2010 and were runners-up in 2019.
India Hockey Full Squad For Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025
Goalkeepers: Pawan, Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar.
Defenders: Chandura Boby, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas.
Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Moirangthem Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Mohammed Raheel Mouseen.
Forwards: Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek
With PTI Inputs
