India's U-18 Hockey Stars Gear Up for Asia Cup in Bhopal Training Camp

To ensure high-performance standards, the initial 42-member groups will be pruned down to 24 players after one week of evaluation, and they will be part of an intensive training block that is part of the final preparations for the Men's and Women's U18 Asia Cup Kakamigahara 2026, which will take place in Japan from May 29 to June 6, according to a press release from Hockey India.

A major highlight of the camp will be the exposure series at SAI Bhopal, where the Indian Men's and Women's U-18 sides will play practice matches against Australia's U-18 teams from 11 to 21 May. This camp serves as the final selection ground for the squads that will represent India at the U18 Asia Cup.

Rani Rampal will head the Women's camp, while Sardar Singh and Rajnish Mishra will be in charge of the Men's camp.

Commenting on the camp, Men's Coach Sardar Singh said, "This camp is a fantastic initiative by Hockey India to nurture the next generation of talent. Our primary focus will be on strengthening their foundational basics while introducing them to the tactical demands of modern hockey. I see immense potential in this group. We may see several of these players representing India at the senior level for the next 10 to 15 years. The upcoming series against Australia will provide these young boys with a vital taste of international pressure."

Women's Coach Rani Rampal said, "Our focus in Bhopal will be on refining individual skills and team structure. The exposure matches against Australia are a fantastic opportunity for the girls to test themselves against a world-class side. It is the best way to prepare them for the demands of the Asia Cup and beyond. Moreover, these young athletes are the future of the sport, and we want to ensure they develop the temperament required to dominate at the highest level for years to come."

The 42-member Men's squad features a strong contingent from Uttar Pradesh (7), followed by Madhya Pradesh (6), and Punjab (4). Additionally, there are 3 players each from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (DDD), while 2 players each have been included in the camp from Bihar, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Tamil Nadu. Also, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan contribute 1 player each to the camp.

The 42-member Women's squad is led by 8 players from Jharkhand, while Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Odisha contribute 5 players each. Uttar Pradesh has 4 representatives, with Haryana, Bihar, and Mizoram contributing 3 players each. Manipur is represented by 2 players, followed by Maharashtra, Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, and Tamil Nadu with 1 player each.

List of Sub Junior Men Players (National Coaching Camp):

Goalkeepers: Ayush Rajak (Madhya Pradesh), Birender Kumar (DDD), Vishal Bada (Odisha), Sawan Kumar (Bihar)

Defenders: Ansh Bahutra (Madhya Pradesh), Nitish Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Ashish Tani Purti (Jharkhand), Abhay Shah (Bihar), Deepakprakash Toppo (Odisha)

Midfielders: Avi Manikpuri (Madhya Pradesh), Romit Pal (Uttar Pradesh), Rahul Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Karan Dhanuk (Uttar Pradesh), Parvesh Kumar Yadav (DDD), Sahil Duhan (Chandigarh), Arhdip Singh (Punjab), Varinder Singh (Punjab), Gursimranpreet Singh (Punjab), Premchand Soy (Jharkhand), Punit (Haryana), Jatin (Haryana), Arman Soreng (Odisha), Varunpreet Singh (Jammu & Kashmir), Aamod Santosh (Maharashtra), Manish Singh Kunwar (Tamil Nadu), M Kavisakthibose (Tamil Nadu), Daksh (Himachal Pradesh)

Forwards: Siddharth Ben (Madhya Pradesh), Karan Gautam (Madhya Pradesh), Gazee Khan (Madhya Pradesh), Prahalad Rajbhar (Uttar Pradesh), Ketan Kushwaha (Uttar Pradesh), Ajay Yadav (DDD), Arjandeep Singh (Chandigarh), Akash Deep (Punjab), Jaysan Kandulna (Jharkhand), Harsh Kumar Goutme (Telangana), Shashank Kumar (Arunachal Pradesh), Adarsh Govind (Karnataka), Om Kumar Yadav (Chhattisgarh), Chirag Saini (Rajasthan), Shahrukh Ali (Uttar Pradesh)

List of Sub Junior Women Players (National Coaching Camp):

Goalkeepers: Khili Kumari (Jharkhand), Mahak Parihar (Madhya Pradesh), Harry (Punjab)

Defenders: Radhika (Haryana), Preety Bilung (Jharkhand), Sugan Sanga (Jharkhand), Nilam Topno (Jharkhand), Kiran Ekka (Odisha), Sonam Yadav (Bihar), Shalini Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sulochani (Punjab), Rashmeen Kaur (Punjab), Anvi Rawat (Maharashtra), Ankita Lakra (Jharkhand), Shivani Kumari (Bihar), Rupam Kumari (Bihar)

Midfielders: Divya Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Sneha Davde (Madhya Pradesh), Tongbram Lanchenbi Devi (Manipur), Pushpa Manjhi (Jharkhand), Nancy Saroha (Haryana), Rubina Baxla (Odisha), Kaligota Veena (Telangana), Akansh Mitra (Uttar Pradesh), Lovepreet Kaur (Punjab), Laminganbi Akoijam (Manipur), Akshra Dutta (Jammu & Kashmir)

Forwards: Sandeepa Kumari (Jharkhand), Nammi Geethasri (Madhya Pradesh), Nousheen Naz (Madhya Pradesh), Diya (Haryana), Vaishali Sen (Uttar Pradesh), Shruti Kumari (Jharkhand), Harshita (Punjab), Princess Priya Ekka (Odisha), Priyanka Minz (Odisha), Sweety Kujur (Odisha), K Vanlalpeki (Mizoram), Laldinpuii (Mizoram), C Malsawmzeli (Mizoram), Arika Kumari (Uttar Pradesh), Jonisha Defny MJ (Tamil Nadu).

- ANI