NEW DELHI: Forty-two teams will battle it out at the 4th edition of the Hockey India Senior Men National championship 2014, to be played in Lucknow from 27 February to 23 March.

The championship will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Lucknow.

This edition will see four new teams including Hockey Gangpur – Odisha, Vidarbha Hockey Association, Central Reserve Police Force and Food Corporation of India.

The Senior Men National Championship will be played in two phases — Division A and B. There will be 20 teams competing in Division A, while Division B will see 22 teams. Division B of the championship will be played from 27 February to 13 March and Division A will be played from March 11 to 23.

The inaugural match of Division B will be played between Puducherry and Hockey Gangpur- Odisha in Pool C on February 27. The final match of Division B will be played on March 13.

In Division A, inaugural match will be played between Jharkhand and Bhopal on March 11 and the final will be played on March 23.

In the previous edition of the championship, Air India defeated Punjab 6-2.

Defending champions Air India are placed in Pool A along with Chandigarh, Services Sports Promotion Board, Association of Indian Universities and Andhra Pradesh under Division A, while Runners-up Punjab are placed in Pool B along with Manipur, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy, Sports Authority of India and Comptroller & Auditor General of India.

Considering the importance major tournaments like World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Champions Trophy, Hockey India selectors, Government observer and coaches will be watching the performance of all the players to select the probables for preparations of these tournaments.