Harmanpreet to Lead India at Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab as Krishan Pathak Returns

Hockey India on Tuesday named its men's squad for the Asian Champions Trophy, a home tournament that will bring international hockey back to Punjab. Harmanpreet Singh will captain an 18-member side for the event, which runs from October 27 to November 5 across Jalandhar and Mohali.

The selectors have largely stuck with the group that won gold at the Asian Games in Japan, where India defended their continental title for the first time. That continuity is the clearest signal from the announcement: the team management sees no reason to break up a winning core with a home crowd waiting.

Who Is In

The most notable change is in goal. Krishan Bahadur Pathak returns to the squad and will share goalkeeping duties with Suraj Karkera. Young defender Amandeep Lakra and midfielder Aditya Arjun Lalage keep their places, giving both another chance to establish themselves in the senior setup.

The full squad:

• Goalkeepers: Suraj Karkera, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
• Defenders: Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amandeep Lakra
• Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh
• Forwards: Shilanand Lakra, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh
• Reserves: Vishnu Kant Singh (midfielder), Angad Bir Singh (forward)

The defence is built around Harmanpreet, whose drag-flicking remains India's most reliable source of goals from penalty corners, alongside Amit Rohidas and Jugraj Singh. Experienced hands such as Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh anchor the midfield, while Mandeep Singh and Sukhjeet Singh lead a forward line that blends pace with experience.

A Homecoming for Punjab

The tournament carries extra weight because of where it is being played. Punjab has produced generations of India's best hockey players, and this will be the state's first major international hockey event in a long time. Chief coach Craig Fulton said playing in Punjab would be special, describing the squad as a mix of youth and experience and saying the team had missed playing a tournament at home.

The schedule is split between two venues. The Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar will host the opening ceremony and all league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2. The tournament then shifts to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, with the semi-finals on November 4 and the medal matches on November 5.

Defending a Strong Record

India arrive as defending champions and as the most successful team in the competition's history, with five titles. That record, combined with the Asian Games triumph, makes them favourites, but it also raises expectations. Asia's leading sides will be using the event to test themselves against the region's strongest team, and a home tournament leaves little room for a slip.

For Fulton, the event is also a chance to keep momentum going after the Asian Games and to give younger players high-pressure minutes in front of large crowds. With the squad now settled, attention turns to India's preparation camp and the opening fixtures in Jalandhar later this month.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.