Hockey India today named a 20-member Indian Men Team, including two from Odisha, for the upcoming FIH Pro League matches in South Africa against South Africa and France which would be played in Potchefstroom South Africa from 8th to 13th February 2022.

Th two Odisha players arte defender Amit Rohidas and forward Shilanand Lakra. The Indian team will be led by Manpreet Singh with Harmanpreet Singh as Vice-Captained. The team will see two new faces in promising young dragflicker Jugraj Singh and speedy forward Abhishek.

Jugraj, who is from Attari, Amritsar came into the Senior National Camp for the very first time in January 2022 after he impressed the national selectors during the 1st Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship where he turned up for Services Sports Control Board.

Abhishek, on the other hand, is a striker who was earlier part of the Junior program and had played for India Colts in Sultan of Johor Cup in 2017 and in 2018. From Sonepat, Haryana, Abhishek did well for Punjab National Bank in the 1st Hockey India Senior Men Inter Department National Championship which helped him earn a spot in the Senior National Camp for the first time.

The Indian Team will leave for South Africa from Bengaluru on February 4. They will play France in the first match on 8 February at 2130 hrs IST and take on South Africa on 9 February at 2130hrs IST. They will play France on 12 February at 2130hrs IST and hosts South Africa on the following day at 2130hrs IST.

INDIAN MEN TEAM: Goalkeepers: Sreejesh PR , Krishan Bahadur Pathak. Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh (Vice-Captain), Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh. Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (Captain), Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad. Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek. Chief Coach: Graham Reid.