Sanjay Rana To Captain India At Sultan Azlan Shah Cup As Top Stars Rested

Defender Sanjay Rana has been appointed captain of the Indian men’s hockey team for the 31st Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, set to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia, from November 23 to 30. The team announcement comes with several senior players, including regular skipper Harmanpreet Singh, midfield veteran Manpreet Singh, and striker Mandeep Singh, being rested ahead of next year’s international commitments.

India’s goalkeeping responsibilities will be handled by Pawan and Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar, as first-choice stoppers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera have also been given a break. Alongside Sanjay, defenders Jugraj Singh and Amit Rohidas bring experience to the backline, supported by young talents Poovanna Chandura Boby, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, and Yashdeep Siwach.

Midfield duties will be shared by Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, Vivek Sagar Prasad, and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen. The forward line, packed with pace and skill, includes 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.

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Chief coach Craig Fulton expressed confidence in the squad’s balance and preparation, describing it as an important step in India’s long-term goals leading up to the 2026 World Cup and Asian Games. “Our focus has been on sharpening our structure in both attack and defence, improving decision-making under pressure, and maintaining consistency. This group has shown great discipline and hunger in training,” Fulton said.

India will open their campaign against Korea on November 23, followed by matches against Belgium, hosts Malaysia, New Zealand, and Canada. The top two teams from the round-robin stage will compete in the final on November 30. India last lifted the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title in 2010 and were runners-up in 2019.

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