India A Hockey Team Includes Olympic Medallists Sanjay and Varun for Upcoming China Tour

The India A men's hockey team, featuring Olympic bronze medallists Sanjay and Varun, embarks on a five-match tour in China starting October 12. This initiative aims to provide valuable exposure to the development squad.

Olympic bronze medallists Varun Kumar and Sanjay are set to lead the 20-member India A men's hockey team on a five-match tour in China. The matches will take place in Jiangsu province, Changzhou City, beginning on 12 October. Sanjay, who is both a defender and a dragflicker, will captain the team. Varun, another key player, also serves as a defender and dragflicker.

The India A squad will face off against the Gansu club as part of Hockey India's strategy to give the development team more exposure. The squad includes goalkeepers Pawan and Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar. Defenders in the team are Poovanna Chandura Boby, Varun Kumar, Amandeep Lakra, Sanjay, Yashdeep Siwach, Sukhvinder, and Parmod.

India A Men's Hockey Team Squad

The midfield features Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Mohammed Raheel Mouseen, Rajkumar Pal, Maninder Singh, and Venkatesh Dhananjay Kenche. The forward line includes Angad Bir Singh, Boby Singh Dhami, Uttam Singh, Selvam Karthi, and Aditya Arjun Lalage. All these forwards have previously played for the senior national side.

India's chief coach Craig Fulton commented on the tour's significance: "This is part of our plans to expand the talent pool for the senior men's team by providing the right amount of experience and exposure for the players in the India A squad particularly ahead of a very busy year in 2026."

Fulton added that they would be closely observing how players handle pressure situations and perform during this tour. Former India striker Shivendra Singh will accompany the team as coach. He expressed enthusiasm about gaining valuable experience in Hangzhou.

Women's Team Tour

The India A women's team embarked on their own five-match tour to China last Friday. They will compete against Liaoning at the Liaoning Sports Centre from 13 to 21 October. This tour aims to provide similar exposure and experience for the women's development squad.

Shivendra Singh noted that the men's squad has been training together for several weeks and has developed strong cohesion as a unit. The players are eager to gain match experience during this tour.

The upcoming matches in China mark an important step in preparing both men's and women's teams for future competitions. These tours are designed to enhance their skills and readiness for upcoming challenges.

With inputs from PTI