The Indian Men’s Hockey Team, ranked fifth in the world, is gearing up to commence its much-anticipated FIH Pro League 2024-25 campaign at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium. Led by Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardee Harmanpreet Singh, India will kick off their journey with consecutive fixtures against World No. 7 Spain on 15th and 16th February, followed by key encounters against World No. 4 Germany on 18th and 19th February.
Beginning their campaign on home turf presents a valuable opportunity for the Indian team to build on their recent momentum. After their matches against Germany, India will face Ireland on 21st and 22nd February before taking on World No. 2 England on 24th and 25th February.
Having secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, India has showcased its ability to compete at the highest level. Their most recent international outing came in a two-match Test series against Germany in October 2024, where they recovered from a 2-0 defeat in the opening match to claim an impressive 5-3 victory in the second. Although Germany eventually won the series via a shootout, India’s spirited performance bolstered their preparations for the Pro League.
Earlier, in September 2024, India successfully defended their Hero Asian Champions Trophy title, winning all their matches and reaffirming their position as the dominant force in Asian hockey.
Harmanpreet Singh will be supported by Vice Captain Hardik Singh in leading a well-balanced squad that blends experience with promising young talent. Seasoned campaigners such as Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Sumit, Sanjay, Jugraj Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad form the backbone of the team, while emerging stars like Araijeet Singh Hundal, Angad Bir Singh, and Arshdeep Singh add fresh energy and flair.
“The team is coming off some fantastic performances in the recently concluded Hockey India League. It’s particularly encouraging to see Jugraj winning the top scorer award, which strengthens our drag-flicking firepower,” said Harmanpreet on the eve of their opening match.
After finishing seventh in last year’s FIH Pro League, India is eager to stage a strong comeback, aiming to secure the top position and, in doing so, gain automatic qualification for the 2026 Hockey World Cup.
Stressing the significance of the tournament, Harmanpreet added, “This marks the beginning of our new Olympic cycle and an important year ahead, including World Cup qualification (Asia Cup 2025). The Pro League provides a great platform to assess where we stand against top teams like Spain, Germany, and England. We are fully prepared and will take it one match at a time.”
Chief Coach Craig Fulton acknowledged the challenges of a packed fixture schedule, stating, “With matches scheduled so closely together, this will mirror an Olympic environment. That’s why we have opted for a larger squad. Since we are starting at home, our primary focus will be on delivering strong performances rather than just accumulating ranking points. Other teams have already played in Europe, so we will need to start well and focus on winning matches.”