DESCRIPTION:
* Hockey India has selected the following 18-member team for the World Cup.
* Sardar Singh will lead the team with Rupinder Pal Singh as his deputy.
* Defender Birendra Lakra is the only player from Odisha to have found a berth in the Indian team.
* India are placed in Pool-A along with Australia, Belgium, England, Spain and Malaysia.
* India will play their first match against Belgium on May 31 at 8:30 pm (IST).
TEAM INDIA:
Goalkeepers: P R Sreejesh (94 caps), Harjot Singh (4 caps).
Defenders: Gurbaj Singh (158 caps), Rupinder Pal Singh (83 caps), V R Raghunath (154 caps), Birendra Lakra (65 caps), Kothajit Singh Khadangbam (65 caps), Manpreet Singh (91 caps).
Mid-fielders: Sardar Singh (180 caps), S K Uthappa (48 caps), Dharamvir Singh (69 caps), Jasjit Singh (0 cap), Chinglensana Singh (46 caps).
Forwards: S V Sunil (131 caps), Ramandeep Singh (11 caps), Akashdeep Singh (35 caps), Nikkin Thimmaiah (11 caps), Mandeep Singh (34 caps).