Led by Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardee Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian squad will open their campaign with two thrilling matches against World No. 7 Spain on February 15 and 16, followed by intense clashes against World No. 4 Germany on February 18 and 19.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s campaign will open at home, thus offering a prime opportunity for the team to showcase their recent momentum. Following their encounters with Germany, India will take on Ireland on February 21 and 22, before facing the formidable World No. 2 England on February 24 and 25.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With their bonze medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Harmanpreet Singh-led side has proven their mettle on the international stage. The team was last seen in action during a two-match Test series at home against Germany in October 2024, where India bounced back from a 2-0 defeat in the first game to defeat the visitors 5-3 in the second. Though Germany won the series via shootout, the competitive performances added confidence to India\u2019s preparations for the FIH Pro League.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, India showcased their prowess by successfully defending their title at the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in September, winning all their matches and cementing their position as one of Asia\u2019s strongest teams.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harmanpreet Singh will be joined by vice-captain Hardik Singh as they lead a well-balanced squad filled with both experience and youthful talent. Senior players such as Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad will form the backbone of the team while emerging stars like Araijeet Singh Hundal, Angad Bir Singh and Arshdeep Singh bring fresh energy and skill to the lineup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"The team is fresh from some fantastic performances in the recently concluded Hockey India League. I am particularly happy to have seen Jugraj winning the top scorer award and this only means well for the Indian team as we have more firepower in our dragflick,\" expressed Harmanpreet on the eve of their opening encounter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With a mix of seasoned campaigners and promising youngsters, India will be eager to make a strong start and challenge some of the world\u2019s top teams in the tournament. Moreover, after finishing seventh in last year\u2019s edition of the FIH Pro League, India will be determined to make a strong comeback this season. The team will aim to deliver an improved performance and clinch the top spot, a feat that carries the added reward of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He further elaborated, \"This is an important year for us and Pro League truly marks the start of our new Olympic cycle and the international season. It's an important year for us with World Cup qualification (Asia Cup 2025) coming up and Pro League gives us a great opportunity to test where we stand. We are upbeat about our campaign, Spain, Germany and England are strong teams and will take it match-by-match.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With a mix of seasoned campaigners and promising youngsters, India will be eager to make a strong start and challenge some of the world\u2019s top teams in the tournament. Moreover, after finishing seventh in last year\u2019s edition of the FIH Pro League, India will be determined to make a strong comeback this season. The team will aim to deliver an improved performance and clinch the top spot, a feat that carries the added reward of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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