The Indian men’s under-18 team touched down in Japan ahead of the Junior Asia Cup, carrying with it months of preparation and the hope of making a strong statement on the continental stage.
The road to the tournament, which begins on May 29, has included the 16th sub-junior National championship, an extended coaching camp at SAI (Bhopal) and a four-match series against Australia that produced one win, one loss and two draws.
Having missed out on the previous edition, the young Indian side will be keen to leave its mark this time around. For head coach Sardar Singh, however, the tournament is not only about results.
The former India captain believes the long camp in Bhopal has given him an opportunity to instill discipline, sharper decision-making and a stronger team ethos in a group of players preparing to make the jump to the international stage.
“Winning is important, everyone plays to win. What is also important is to perform on the ground the way you’ve been doing in training,” he told The Hindu.
“We’ve worked on simple things. For instance, there should not be indiscipline, like getting a card for no reason and making your team play with a man down. You have 60 minutes. As time goes by, you need to have more and more focus. After scoring a goal, make sure you go for the second goal. In hockey, 90% of the time, you win with three goals. With a two-goal lead, in 30 seconds or one minute, anything can happen.”
Widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders and playmakers of his generation, Sardar is also drawing on his own experience to guide the next crop of Indian talent.
“Our target is that you make fewer mistakes with the ball. And play as a team. A few players playing well can help you win a match, but to win a tournament, that does not work.”
India opens its Pool A campaign against Kazakhstan on May 29 before taking on Japan on May 31, Korea on June 1 and Chinese Taipei on June 3.
Published – May 28, 2026 08:43 pm IST
