Akashdeep to lead India in Junior Asia Cup hockey

Akashdeep Singh will lead the 18—member Indian hockey squad for the 7th Junior Asia Cup at Malacca, Malaysia from May 3—13.

Besides India and hosts Malaysia, the other participating teams are Bangladesh, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

India won the last two editions of the championship at Karachi and Chennai in 2004 and 2008. This tournament will be the qualifier for the Junior World cup to be held in 2013.

Selection trials were conducted at SAI Centre, Bangalore, April 6—7 April by Hockey India (HI) selectors B.P. Govinda, Syed Ali and Balbir Singh, along with government observer Harbinder Singh.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Sushant Tirkey, Keshav Dutt

Defenders: Sukhmanjit Singh, Amit Rohidas (vice—captain), Sampath Kumar

Midfielders: Pardeep Mor, Harjit Singh, Surender Kumar, Gurmail Singh, Prabhdeep Singh, Satbir Singh, Munish Rana

Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh (captain), P.L. Thimmanna, Malak Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Naveen Antil

Standbys: Bhisham Singh Phairembam (goalkeeper), Gaganpreet Singh (defender), Amit Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amon Mirash Tirkey, Talwinder Singh (all midfielder), Ranjit Singh and Parvinder Singh (both forwards)