Coimbatore, July 29
Teams from Himachal, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chandigarh began their campaigns with wins in Division B on the opening day of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 at the Coimbatore Hockey Ground on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Telangana and Le Puducherry secured victories in Division C as the day witnessed exciting hockey action.
In Pool A of Division B, Shubhdeep Singh's (9') lone goal helped Hockey Himachal clinch a 1-0 win against Hockey Maharashtra.
In the same pool, Hockey Uttarakhand recorded a 5-2 victory against Kerala Hockey. Suraj Kumar (2', 10') and Ankit (15', 33') scored twice, while Viraj Choudhary (56') scored for the winners. For Kerala Hockey, Ashique Muhammed (25') and V Sreejith K (57') found the back of the net.
In Pool B of Division B, Hockey Andhra Pradesh prevailed 2-1 against Bihar. Chandu Gandi (36') and Ramavath L Kumar Naik (44') netted for Hockey Andhra Pradesh, while Kumar Vinay (55') scored for Bihar.
Hockey Chandigarh also registered a 9-2 win against Chhattisgarh Hockey in the same pool of Division B. Gurpreet Singh (10', 13', 34', 38', 40') scored five goals, while Gurjeet Singh (39', 48', 51') bagged a hat-trick and Fateh Singh (49') also found the back of the net. For Chhattisgarh Hockey, Mohit Nayak (41') and Beck Vivek (25') scored a goal each.
Six teams were also in action in Division C on Tuesday. Goans Hockey and Hockey Rajasthan played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in Pool A. Francis Singh (6'), Deekshith H.H (30') and Nitin (57') scored for Goan Hockey, while Mohammad Ubaid Raza (9'), Himanshu Kumar Meena (45'), and Mayank (47') found the net for Hockey Rajasthan.
In Pool B, Telangana Hockey secured a 3-0 victory against Tripura. Piyush (20', 27') bagged a brace with Sanga Sriram (28') also finding the back of the net.
In the same pool, Le Puducherry Hockey registered a 10-0 win against Hockey Gujarat. Anbupathi (19', 46') and Illamaran (22', 43') scored a brace each, while Vishnuvarathan (25'), Madhavan (35'), Karan K Gagade (40'), Vishva (42'), Rithish (49') and Gowtham (60') also found the net for the winners.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Gurpreet Singh with 5 goals for Chandigarh is insane! That's like finding a diamond in the rough. But we also need more corporate support for state teams like Chhattisgarh and Bihar who are struggling. Hockey can't flourish only in traditional pockets. Good coverage though! 👌
I was watching the AP vs Bihar match live online - Chandu Gandi's goal was a brilliant team effort. Happy to see hockey getting attention in southern states. But honestly, the gap between Division B and Division A teams is still massive. Need more inter-state tournaments to bridge that gap. Jai Hind 🇮🇳
Excellent to see Puducherry thrashing Gujarat 10-0! But this also shows the disparity in hockey development across states. While some teams are producing world-class talent, others are still finding their feet. Hockey India needs to ensure balanced development through coaching camps and equipment support. Big thumbs up to the young guns though!
So many young talents shining from small towns and states! This is exactly what Indian hockey needs - building from the ground up. But I hope these boys also focus on their education alongside sports. A balanced approach will help them in the long run. Great to see Uttarakhand boys scoring with such precision! 🌟
One criticism though - the coverage of these matches is still minimal. Most people don't even know this championship is happening. Hockey India and local media need to do more to promote these events. These boys deserve recognition beyond just a short news article. But kudos to the players for their spirit! 🏏