Indian junior men's hockey team departs for four-Nation tourney in Berlin

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) India's junior men's hockey team left for Berlin on Wednesday to compete in a four-nation Tournament from June 21 to 25, continuing its preparations for the World Cup to be held later this year.

Led by captain Araijeet Singh Hundal with Amir Ali as his deputy, the Indian colts, who left early this morning from Bengaluru, will begin their campaign against host nation Germany on June 21.

They will then face Australia on June 22, followed by Spain on June 24 during the round-robin stage. All matches will take place in Berlin.

The tournament will conclude with classification matches on June 25, where the top two teams from the pool will compete for the championship, while the remaining two will contest the third-place position.

Speaking ahead of departure, captain Araijeet Singh Hundal emphasised the tournament's significance in the lead-up to the World Cup later this year. The World Cup is scheduled to take place in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10.

"This tournament is crucial for us ahead of the FIH Junior World Cup 2025. With just a few months to go, it's the perfect opportunity for us to assess our strengths, try out new combinations, and identify areas for improvement," he said in a press release from Hockey India.

"We'll be facing some of the best hockey teams, which will allow us to test our strength and try different strategies," he said.

Echoing the sentiment, Amir Ali added, "It will help us identify and address any gaps before the World Cup in November." PTI Cor PM PM PM