Hockey India on Thursday unveiled a 33-member core probable group for the Senior Men’s National Coaching Camp ahead of the upcoming FIH Men’s Pro League home leg, marking the beginning of India’s international campaign for the 2026 season.
The camp will be held in Rourkela, Odisha from February 1 to 7, with the Pro League matches scheduled to follow from February 10 to 15 at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium a venue that has rapidly become the nerve centre of Indian hockey.
The Rourkela leg of the Pro League is not just another stop on the global calendar. It represents India’s first competitive assignment of the year and an early checkpoint in the long road towards the Asian Games and the Hockey World Cup. With the Hero Hockey India League having just concluded, the national coaching group has used the tournament as a high-intensity trial window, allowing both established internationals and emerging domestic performers to stake their claim for international duty.
Chief coach Craig Fulton made it clear that this phase of selection is about balancing continuity with opportunity. “Post the Hero Hockey India League, we felt this was the right time to rotate the squad,” Fulton said. “We’ve rested a few senior players to manage workload, while rewarding performances from players who’ve earned their opportunity. The Pro League legs in Rourkela and Hobart are an important part of the selection process as we move towards finalising the World Cup and Asian Games squad.”
The goalkeeping unit blends experience with depth. Pawan, Suraj Karkera, Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar and Princedeep Singh have all been named, ensuring competition in a position that has been critical to India’s success in recent years. Karkera, in particular, arrives with strong momentum after a solid Hero HIL season, while Pawan’s international experience provides stability.
Defence remains a cornerstone of India’s tactical identity, and the group selected reflects that. Captain Harmanpreet Singh and Amit Rohidas lead a unit that also includes Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh and Sumit — all proven performers at the highest level. They are joined by Poovanna Chandura Boby, Yashdeep Siwach, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Amandeep Lakra, giving the backline a blend of penalty-corner specialists, aerial defenders and aggressive tacklers. With Harmanpreet and Jugraj both capable of converting from set pieces, India will once again rely heavily on its drag-flicking threat in tight matches.
In midfield, where modern hockey games are often won and lost, India have named a versatile and athletic core. Rajinder Singh, Manmeet Singh, Hardik Singh, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad and Nilakanta Sharma form a nucleus that offers ball-carrying, defensive screening and high-tempo transitions. Vishnu Kant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal and Rosan Kujur add further dynamism, giving Fulton the flexibility to field both compact defensive units and aggressive, press-oriented midfields depending on the opposition.
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The forward line, meanwhile, reflects India’s growing attacking depth. Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh provide pace and directness on the flanks, while Mandeep Singh and Maninder Singh bring years of international know-how and finishing ability inside the circle. Youngsters such as Araijeet Singh Hundal, Angad Bir Singh, Uttam Singh, Selvam Karthi and Aditya Arjun Lalage have been rewarded for their performances in the domestic league, offering fresh energy and competition in a forward group that has at times struggled for consistency at the elite level.
What makes this selection particularly significant is its timing. The FIH Pro League is not just a series of matches; it is effectively a rolling audition for major tournaments. With Olympic qualification pathways tightening and the World Cup cycle already underway, every Pro League appearance carries weight in shaping the final core of the national team.
Rourkela’s Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium adds another dimension. The venue has become one of the loudest and most intimidating home grounds in world hockey, with fans creating a cauldron-like atmosphere that lifts the Indian side. For several of the younger players in this 33-member group, the home leg will be their first taste of performing under that kind of pressure in front of a partisan crowd a valuable learning curve ahead of bigger global stages.
The camp from February 1 to 7 will focus on fine-tuning combinations, assessing fitness after the long domestic season, and embedding Fulton’s tactical structures ahead of international opposition. The Pro League matches that follow will then provide the real test, as India look to set the tone for 2026 and establish momentum in a year packed with high-stakes competitions.
With a carefully balanced squad, a home crowd behind them and clear long-term targets in sight, India’s men enter the Pro League phase in Rourkela not just looking for results, but aiming to shape the identity of the team that will carry the tricolour through the next global cycle.
