Five-time champions India take on Korea in Azlan Shah Cup opener

Ipoh (Malaysia), Nov 22 (PTI) Five-time champions and the second-most successful team in the tournament, India will have to be on their guard when they take on Korea in their opening match of the 31st edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here on Sunday.

The prestigious invitational tournament will be held here from November 23 to 30.

This will be India's first appearance in the tournament since 2019, when they finished runners-up.

This year's edition will feature India, Belgium, Canada, Korea, New Zealand and hosts Malaysia, competing in a round-robin format, with the top two teams qualifying for the final.

After Korea, India, led by Sanjay, will then face Belgium on November 24, Malaysia on November 26, New Zealand on November 27, before concluding their league stage campaign against Canada on November 29.

With India building towards the 2026 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup and the 2026 Asian Games, this tournament provides a platform for competitive preparation while also testing new combinations.

The squad consists of Pawan and Mohith HS as goalkeepers, while the defensive unit comprises Poovanna Chandura Boby, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas and captain Sanjay.

Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, Vivek Sagar Prasad and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen will be present in the midfield, while Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Dilpreet Singh and Abhishek will lead the attack for India.

India have rested some of their senior players like regular captain Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh among others for this tournament.

Ahead of the tournament, Craig Fulton's wards underwent an extensive training camp in Bengaluru.

Speaking about the team's preparations, Sanjay said, "We've gone through preparations in the build-up to the tournament with focus on certain areas that we identified. This competitive tournament offers us an opportunity to test ourselves against strong international opponents and we're ready to hit the ground running.

"There's a good blend of youth and experience in the squad and the energy within the group is positive. Our preparation helped everyone understand their roles and responsibilities. Now, our focus is on delivering consistent performances and challenging for the title." PTI SSC SSC PDS PDS