New Delhi, October 2nd, 2023: Hockey India on Monday announced the 20-member Sub Junior Men and Women squads that will embark on an exciting tour of the Netherlands, scheduled from 9th October to 16th October. This historic tour marks the first time that the Indian Sub Junior Men and Women’s Teams will compete in international matches, a testament to the growing prowess of Indian hockey at the grassroots level, while also elevating the country’s stature on the global hockey stage.
~ The tour is scheduled to take place from 9th October to 16th October ~
During this tour, the Indian Sub Junior Men’s Team will face off against the Netherland Boys U18 team and the Netherland Boys U16 side, with two games scheduled against each.
On the other hand, the Indian Sub Junior Women’s Team will battle it out against the Netherland Girls U18 team and the Netherland Girls U16 side, also playing two games against each opponent.
Also, during the tour, Indian Sub Junior Men and Women’s Teams will play a match against Men and Women’s teams of a senior club in the Netherlands.
Notably, the Indian Sub Junior Men’s team will be Captained by Manmeet Singh Rai, while Aashu Maurya will serve as the Vice Captain. For the Indian Sub Junior Women’s Team, Bhavya has been appointed as the Captain, while Rajni Kerketta has been named as the Vice Captain.
Meanwhile, coaches of the Sub Junior Men and Women’s Teams expressed their excitement about this tour.
Indian Sub Junior Men’s Team Coach Sardar Singh said, “This tour represents a historic milestone in the journey of our budding talents. We are exhilarated about this opportunity for our young players to showcase their skills on the grand international stage. The experience gained here will be a catalyst for their growth and development as they take their first steps toward becoming future stalwarts of Indian hockey.”
Also, Indian Sub Junior Women’s Team Coach Rani expressed her thoughts on the tour and commented, “Our girls have put in relentless effort, displaying commendable dedication and spirit during the National Coaching Camp, and we believe this tour will be a valuable stepping stone in their careers. Playing against strong international opposition will provide them with the exposure and experience, which are vital elements for their progression to the highest levels of the sport. We believe in their potential to shine brightly on this global stage.”
The teams are as follows:
Sub Junior Men’s Squad:GOALKEEPER
- Rahul Bhardwaj
DEFENDERS
- Rohit Kullu
- Pradip Mandal
- Sohil Ali
- Ujjwal Pal
- Sukhmanpreet Singh
- Aashu Maurya (Vice Captain)
- Neeraj
MIDFIELDERS
- Rahul Yadav
- Rohit Tirkey
- Suresh Sharma Adhikarimayum
- Manmeet Singh Rai (Captain)
- Rahul Rajbhar
- Ghuran Lohra
FORWARDS
- Ritender Singh
- Deepak Pradhan
- Ajeet Yadav
- Ketan Kushwaha
- Rohit Irengbam Singh
- Srijan Yadav
Sub Junior Women’s Squad:
GOALKEEPERS
- Hodam Pabitra Devi
- Tarra Sailaja
DEFENDERS
- Bhavya (Captain)
- Komal Pal
- Parwati Topno
- Ritika Ahirwar
MIDFIELDERS
- Rajni Kerketta (Vice Captain)
- Tamanna
- Karuna Minz
- Priyanka
- Tanuja Toppo
- Kajal Pundir
- Kirti
FORWARDS
- Krishna Sharma
- Kajal
- Purnima Yadav
- Switi Dungdung
- Doli Bhoi
- Nisha Dadel
- Ravina
HOCKEY INDIA TEAM PARTNERS
Odisha (India’s Best Kept Secret) – Major Team Partner
Sports Authority of India (SAI)
Shiv Naresh
About HOCKEY INDIA
HOCKEY INDIA (HI) is the governing body with exclusive mandate to direct and conduct all activities for both men and women’s hockey in India. It is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India as the sole body responsible towards promoting Hockey in India.
Headquartered in New Delhi, Hockey India was established on 20th May, 2009 and is affiliated to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).
Committed to the development of Hockey in the country, Hockey India with the assistance of Sports Authority of India and Department of Sports, Government of India, trains players at sub-junior, junior and senior level. The governing body engages in Coaching the coaches with International Standard certification programs, educates and equips technical officials and umpires to find a foothold in international arena, provides world-class infrastructure and International exposure for the players besides regular international competition. Hockey India has also pioneered in bringing top International hockey events to India such as the FIH Men’s World Cup in 2010 and 2018, FIH Champions Trophy in 2014, FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in 2016 and 2021, FIH Hockey World League Final in 2017. With its vision to popularize the game and constantly promote it, Hockey India brought the Indian Men’s Hockey Team into the top three in the world. Hockey India is also dedicated to getting the Indian Women’s Hockey Team into the top three in the world.
About ODISHA
Odisha – the Eastern State of India – is known for its love for Hockey and over the years it has evolved to be the Global Hub of Hockey. The State successfully hosted the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, followed by the FIH Men’s Series Finals Bhubaneswar Odisha, FIH Olympic Qualifiers Odisha, and FIH Hockey Pro League 2020-21. Odisha has previously hosted the Champions Trophy 2014 and the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017. Odisha also hosted the FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup in 2021.
Kalinga Lancers, the team owned by the State, were the winners in the Hockey India League 2017. Taking a step further towards realising the dream of restoring the glory of Indian Hockey at the global level, the State is sponsoring the Indian Hockey Teams till 2033.
Odisha also hosted the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.
