Veteran midfielder and two-time Olympic medalist Manpreet Singh was dropped when Hockey India announced a 33-member core probable group for the senior men’s national coaching camp on Thursday.
The 33-year-old was on the cusp of creating history. At 411 international caps, he is just two matches away from breaking Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey’s long-standing record of 412 caps and becoming India’s most capped international hockey player.
The decision puts a major question mark over Manpreet’s international career, just seven months before an important 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup.
The camp is scheduled to be held in Rourkela, Odisha from February 1 to 7. It will form part of the team’s preparations for the upcoming phase of the FIH Men’s Pro League, which is scheduled to be staged at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela from February 10 to 15.
The home leg will mark the start of the year’s first campaign for India. The squad assembles following the recently concluded Hero Hockey India League, which provided competitive exposure to several senior players while offering younger prospects the opportunity to play alongside some of the finest international players.
The camp will comprise Pawan, Suraj Karkera, Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar and Princedeep Singh as goalkeepers.
Meanwhile, the defensive unit features Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sumit, Poovanna Chandura Boby, Yashdeep Siwach, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Amandeep Lakra.
In midfield, the group includes Rajinder Singh, Manmeet Singh, Hardik Singh, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Vishnu Kant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma and Rosan Kujur.
Rounding off the list, the forward line is made up of Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Mandeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Angad Bir Singh, Uttam Singh, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage and Maninder Singh.
Speaking ahead of the camp, Indian Men’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Craig Fulton said: “Post the Hero Hockey India League, we felt this was the right time to rotate the squad. We’ve rested a few senior players to manage workload, while rewarding performances from players who’ve earned their opportunity. The Pro League legs in Rourkela and Hobart are an important part of the selection process as we move towards finalising the World Cup and Asian Games squad.”
Core Probables
Goalkeepers: Pawan, Suraj Karkera, Mohith Honnenahalli Shashikumar and Princedeep Singh
Defenders: Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sumit, Poovanna Chandura Boby, Yashdeep Siwach, Nilam Sanjeep Xess and Amandeep Lakra
Midfielders: Rajinder Singh, Manmeet Singh, Hardik Singh, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Vishnu Kant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma and Rosan Kujur
Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Mandeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Angad Bir Singh, Uttam Singh, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage and Maninder Singh
