India name 20-member squad for Hockey World Cup, Harmanpreet Singh to lead

India on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) named a 20-member squad for next month’s FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, with four players from the side who featured in the European leg of the Pro League missing out owing to the tournament’s squad-size limit.

Defender Amandeep Lakra, midfielders Raj Kumar Pal and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, and forward Selvam Karthi were the four players omitted from the 24-member Pro League squad.

India endured a disappointing FIH Pro League campaign last month, winning four, drawing five and losing seven matches to finish eighth among nine teams, just above Pakistan.

The side will now look to improve on their recent World Cup record.

India finished ninth in the previous edition in 2023 and have not won any medal since claiming their lone title in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. They had earlier secured bronze in Barcelona in 1971 and silver in Amsterdam in 1973.

Ace drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh, who led India to Olympic bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games, will captain the side.

Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh, India’s most-capped player, adds experience to a squad blending established stars with promising youngsters.

“This is a well-balanced squad — the right mix of tournament experience and in-form youth who’ve earned their spot through performance, not reputation,” chief coach Craig Fulton said.

The goalkeeping department comprises Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera, while the defensive unit features Jarmanpreet Singh, captain Harmanpreet, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit and Yashdeep Siwach.

The midfield will be led by Manpreet, Hardik Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad, alongside Nilakanta Sharma and youngsters Rajinder Singh and Aditya Arjun Lalage.

The forward line consists of Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Shilanand Lakra.

India have been drawn in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, with all their group-stage matches scheduled to be played in Amstelveen, the Netherlands.

“Press, counter, perform isn’t just our tactical identity — it’s how this group trains and thinks together every single day. We are not getting ahead of ourselves — one game at a time, all in, is the mentality we’re taking into every match,” Fulton added.

India will open their campaign against Wales on August 15 before facing England on August 17 and arch-rivals Pakistan on August 19 in what is expected to be the marquee clash of the group stage.

“Fifty years since 1975 (World Cup win), this group has a chance to write its own chapter in Indian hockey history, and we are really excited about it,” Fulton concluded.