Indian men’s hockey team, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, embarked on a crucial mission to secure a 2026 World Cup berth through the men’s Asia Cup, starting with a challenging opener against China on Friday. As three-time champions and Asia’s highest-ranked team, India are under intense pressure to rebound from a dismal seventh-place world ranking after a poor FIH Pro League European leg, where they won only one of eight matches and suffered a historic seven-game losing streak.
The Asia Cup, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the September 7 semifinals, is India’s final shot at qualifying for the World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30, 2026.
Coach Craig Fulton, labeling the tournament as the year’s most critical, has deployed a full-strength squad to address defensive frailties exposed in the Pro League, where India conceded 26 goals due to preventable errors. Harmanpreet, pivotal for penalty corner conversions, anchors the defense alongside Sumit, Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, and Amit Rohidas, while goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera must overcome weaknesses in handling aerial balls and high-pressure scenarios.
The midfield, led by Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad, will drive play, with forwards Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, and Dilpreet Singh tasked with goal-scoring to dominate opponents.
Despite being favorites against the 23rd-ranked China, whose counter-attack-focused team hails from Inner Mongolia’s Beikou-playing Daur community, India cannot afford complacency. China’s modest Asia Cup record, with a best of third in 2009, belies their potential to exploit India’s shaky defense with fast-paced forwards.
With Pool A also featuring Japan and Kazakhstan, and Pool B including defending champions South Korea, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Chinese Taipei, India must deliver a commanding performance to silence critics and reaffirm their status as Asia’s hockey powerhouse, starting with this pivotal clash.
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