Jalandhar, 26 October (H.S.): India’s men’s hockey team has suffered an injury setback ahead of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, with experienced midfielder and former captain Manpreet Singh ruled out of the tournament due to a calf muscle injury. Midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad has been named as his replacement in the Indian squad.

India captain Harmanpreet Singh confirmed the development on Sunday during a press conference featuring the captains of all six participating teams in Jalandhar. Defending champions India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on October 27, aiming to win the title for a sixth time and become champions for the third consecutive edition.

Harmanpreet said all teams had arrived with the intention of competing strongly and winning the tournament. He emphasised that India would not underestimate any opponent, noting that every side would strive to deliver its best performance.

The Indian captain added that the team had gained considerable experience and matured as a unit. He said India would approach every match with the same mindset and give every opponent the respect they deserved.

India will compete under the guidance of head coach Craig Fulton, with the team arriving on the back of successfully defending its men’s hockey gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Led by Harmanpreet, the side will look to carry that momentum into the tournament and conclude its home season with another title.

India has won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. In 2018, India and Pakistan were declared joint winners. India claimed its most recent title in Hulunbuir, China, defeating the hosts 1-0 in the final, courtesy of a decisive goal by Jugraj Singh.

India will face stiff competition from Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and China as it seeks to defend its crown. Malaysia won the silver medal behind India at the Asian Games, and the two teams will meet in the league stage on November 1.

South Korea also remains a formidable force in Asian hockey. Japan finished fifth at the Asian Games, while Bangladesh will open its campaign against India. China, meanwhile, will look to make amends for its defeat in the previous edition’s final, which it contested on home soil.

The ninth edition of the tournament will feature six teams competing in a single round-robin league stage, with each side playing every other team once. The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

All league-stage matches will be played at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2. The tournament will then move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, which will host both semi-finals on November 4 and the bronze-medal and title matches on November 5.

India will face Bangladesh on October 27, China on October 29, Japan on October 30, Malaysia on November 1 and South Korea on November 2.

India’s opening match against Bangladesh is scheduled to begin at 7 pm Indian Standard Time, following the opening ceremony. All of India’s remaining league matches are also scheduled to start at 7 pm IST.

The opening ceremony will feature Punjab’s traditional Bhangra and Giddha folk dances, along with demonstrations of the Sikh martial art Gatka. Musical performances and a laser show are also expected to be among the highlights.

Hockey India has announced free entry for spectators at both venues, allowing fans to watch the tournament without paying an admission fee.

Punjab is widely regarded as one of the traditional strongholds of Indian hockey and has produced generations of distinguished players. Jalandhar, in particular, has a deep-rooted connection with the sport. Playing before a passionate home crowd will give the defending champions an opportunity to build on that legacy as they seek to retain the title.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar