Hockey World Cup 2023: 5 Indian players who can take the tournament by storm
As the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 kicks off in less than a week's time, here's a look at the five Indian players who can take the tournament by storm.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
The Hockey world is currently gearing up for the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023, which kicks off in less than a week’s time in India. The coveted tournament will be hosted across two cities in Odisha, Bhubaneshwar, and Rourkela. While hockey fans await live-action from the Hockey World Cup 2023, here’s a look at five Indian players who can pose a great threat to the opposition teams.
Harmanpreet Singh
Harmanpreet Singh will serve as India’s captain in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2023, which begins on January 13. The leading drag-flicker has played a key role in Indian hockey’s resurgence in the past few years. His powerful flicks and world-class defense have made him a vital cog in the team. He was India’s highest goalscorer with six goals during the bronze-medal winning campaign at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Akashdeep Singh
Akashdeep Singh has played over 200 international matches for India since making his debut in 2012. He is the only player in the team to play over 200 games after PR Sreejesh and Harmanpreet. He will be the most experienced forward in the Indian squad at the World Cup in 2023. He scored a hat-trick for India in the opening match against the world no. 1 Australia, during the five-match Test in 2022.
PR Sreejesh
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will undoubtedly be one of the most important players in the Indian lineup at the World Cup. He was adjudged as the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022 and is counted among the best goalkeepers in the world. He memorably save a penalty corner in the last few seconds during India’s win against Germany in the bronze medal match at Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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Manpreet Singh
India won the Olympics bronze medal in Tokyo, before winning the silver medal at Commonwealth Games 2022 Birmingham under Manpreet Singh’s leadership. He has been a mainstay in the Indian team for several years now and has also won the Arjuna Award for his contributions to Indian hockey. He also received the highest honour given to sportspersons in India, the Khel Ratna award in 2021.
Vivek Sagar Prasad
Vivek Sagar Prasad was also a part of the bronze medal-winning Indian team at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He also led India U-21 to a third-place finish during the seventh edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia. He will be making a comeback to the team after missing the recent tour of Australia and the FIH Hockey Pro League due to an ankle injury.