Hockey India announces 18-member squad for men's U18 Asia Cup at Kakamigahara
Bhopal, May 21
Hockey India on Wednesday announced the 18-member Indian U-18 men's squad that will represent the nation at the upcoming Men's U18 Asia Cup 2026, the prestigious continental tournament which will be hosted from May 29 to June 6 at Kakamigahara in Japan.
The squad was selected after a rigorous national coaching camp at Udhav Das Mehta (Bhai ji) Central Centre at SAI Bhopal under the team's coaching staff consisting of Sardar Singh and Rajnish Mishra. The team's preparations included a high-profile four-match series against the Australia U-18 team in Bhopal as part of an exposure tour. Forward Ketan Kushwaha will captain the Asia Cup side as they fly out to compete against Asia's top youth teams.
Gearing up for the tournament, the Indian team won one match against Australia U18 and lost one. Two matches ended up as drawn affairs.
The U18 Asia Cup format will see the Indian team battle through an intense group stage before the knockout rounds. India will begin their campaign on the opening day, May 29, against Kazakhstan, followed by a highly anticipated match against hosts Japan on May 31. The team will then face South Korea on June 1, before wrapping up their pool-stage assignments against Chinese Taipei on June 3. The top teams will progress to the semi-finals, which are scheduled for June 5. The tournament will culminate with the Final and classification placement matches on June 6.
Commenting on the final squad for the tournament, chief coach Sardar Singh said, "The selection process was incredibly competitive, but we have picked an 18-member squad that gives us the perfect tactical balance. Our training in Bhopal and the exposure matches against a top-tier side like Australia gave these boys a great understanding of international pressure and match tempo. We have spent the last few weeks working heavily on our tactical discipline, penalty corner routines, and structure. The boys are in high spirits, and going into a major tournament like the Asia Cup, our objective is clear-we want to execute our plans effectively, top our group, and put ourselves in the best possible position to bring home the trophy."
Indian U-18 men's squad:
Goalkeepers: Sawan Kumar, Ayush Rajak
Defenders: Ansh Bahutra, Arman Soreng, Ashish Tani Purti, Arshdip Singh, Avi Manikpuri, Romit Pal
Midfielders: Rahul Yadav, Premchand Soy, Varinder Singh, Karan Gautam, Siddharth Ben
Forwards: Ketan Kushwaha (Captain), Akash Deep, Gazee Khan, Shahrukh Ali, Prahalad Rajbhar
India's match schedule (All Times IST):
May 29, 2026: India vs Kazakhstan - 09:30 Hrs
May 31, 2026: India vs Japan - 13:30 Hrs
June 1, 2026: India vs South Korea - 15:30 Hrs
June 3, 2026: India vs Chinese Taipei - 13:30 Hrs
— IANS
Reader Comments
Really impressed with the preparation - playing Australia U18 before the Asia Cup is smart. Even though we only won one match, that exposure at this age is priceless. Hoping for a strong showing against Japan and Korea.
Wah! Happy to see players from smaller towns making the squad. Bhopal's SAI center is doing amazing work. But honestly, we need more synthetic turfs in rural areas - many talented kids never get this chance. Still, proud moment for Indian hockey. 🇮🇳
The squad looks balanced - good mix of defenders and forwards. Romit Pal and Avi Manikpuri in defense, plus Ketan leading from the front. Only concern is our penalty corner conversion - hope they've worked on that during the camp.
So excited for the tournament! India vs Japan is going to be a cracker on May 31. The timing at 1:30 PM IST means we can all watch after lunch. Hope the boys bring the trophy home - make us proud! 🌟
Good squad selection but I wish they'd included more players from northeast states like Manipur and Odisha - those regions produce natural talent. Still, happy to see names like Arman Soreng and Gazee Khan in there. Let's go India! 🏑
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