By K ARUMUGAM

Manpreet Singh travels with the Indian team to Dhaka, Bangladesh, today, shouldering the responsibility of captaincy. By doing so, Manpreet becomes the first Indian to lead his country at an Asian continental championship – including the Asian Games and Asia Cup — as many as three times.

He first led India to the 2013 edition in Kakamigahara, Japan, guiding the young team which prepared for the FIH Junior World Cup in New Delhi. The young side, however, didn’t finish on the podium.

Manpreet Singh as he was in 2011

In 2018, he captained the team at the next edition of the tournament in Muscat, Oman, with Harendra Sing as coach. The final was washed out by incessant rain and the title was shared by India and Pakistan who were to contest the final.

Manpreet now leads an Indian team ranked No. 3 in the FIH rankings and one including only eight of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medal winners.

The tournament starts on December 14 on which India play South Korea. Bangladesh are up next on December 15.

India play arch rivals Pakistan on December 17, Malaysia on December 18 and Japan on December 19.

The semi-finals follow on December 21 with the final slated for December 22.

Manpreet was in Bhubaneswar recently, mentoring the Indian team which participated and finished fourth at the FIH 2021 Men’s Junior World Cup and will be keen on developing fringe players during the campaign in Dhaka.