Uncertainty hovered over Indian team's halfback SV Sunil's participation in the quarterfinals after he sustained an injury during its last men's hockey Pool B game against Canada at the Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday. India were dealt a big blow when Sunil was stretchered off the pitch after he suffered an injury by crashing against the sign boards while pressing for an attack during the match against Canada.
'I am still hopeful because a week has already passed and recovery from the LCL injury generally takes four weeks. Let's see what happens'
Defending champions Jaypee Punjab Warriors opened their account in the fifth edition of the Hockey India League with an incredible 7-0 thrashing of Ranchi Rays, in Ranchi, on Wednesday.
Rupinder has been replaced in the team by Nilam Sanjeep Xess.
SV Sunil struck the only goal of the match in the third quarter as India stun Australia 1-0 in the third hockey test to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series in Perth on Saturday.
India's chances after this defeat will be badly dented as even a big win against Indonesia in the last game might not be enough for qualification to
India started brightly and pushed hard in the first five minutes of the match but their attacks fizzled once out inside the opposition D.
Senior players like Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh will give the tournament a miss.
India almost clinched the title round berth before Razie Rahim turned out to be Malaysia's saviour with a hat-trick in an enthralling 3-3 draw
India's ace forward SV Sunil and midfielder Manpreet Singh have been ruled out of the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy due to their respective injuries. While Sunil still carries the wrist injury from Rio Olympics during India's encounter against Canada, Manpreet has recently picked up a groin injury. "Manpreet's is a repeated groin injury. Though it is manageable at this stage, it should not become chronic hence we decided to keep him back here for rehabilitation. Sunil and Raghunath (who is recovering from an elbow injury) will also be in SAI while the team is away in Malaysia," confirmed Chief Coach Roelant Oltmans.
Rising to the occasion, the Indian hockey team thrashed hosts Indonesia 16-0 to qualify for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup in Jakarta on Thursday on Thursday.
The men's team last participated in an international competition in February last year when they played the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Australia in Bhubaneswar.
The Indian men's hockey team bounced back in style against Australia, beating the World Champions 2-1 to level the four-match test series at 1-1 in Perth.
Harmanpreet (41', 51') and Ramandeep Singh (35') scored in the second half after Akashdeep Singh (5') and SV Sunil (20') had put India ahead at half-time.
Akashdeep Singh scored two goals as India posted a comfortable 3-0 win over Asian champions South Korea to finish a lowly ninth in the men's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium at The Hague in The Netherlands on Saturday.
Indian team began its preparations for the FIH Men's Hockey World League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over hosts Netherlands on Tuesday.
Indian striker SV Sunil was reprimanded but escaped a ban for showing his middle finger to spectators after scoring the match-winner against Pakistan in the ongoing Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament.
S V Sunil scored two goals to help Jaypee Punjab Warriors edge past hosts Uttar Pradesh Wizards 4-3 in a round-robin match to move to the third spot in the inaugural Hockey India League in Lucknow on Sunday.
Sreejesh to lead India as team will experiment with different combinations and execute new tactics
A dominant India humiliated minnows Oman 11-0 to register their third consecutive win in the second Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Doha on Sunday.
V Raghunath scored a goal in each as India began its Asia Champions Trophy hockey campaign with a dominating 4-0 victory over China, in Doha, on Thursday.
India muffed chances galore before a deft deflection from Nikkin Thimmaiah enabled them to pip South Korea 2-1 in the 36th Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament in London.
The two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016), from Somwarpet in Coorg, was a key player in the Indian forward line for over a decade with fine performances.
India's stunning victory over Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey final was marred by the constant hollering of the victorious players with abusive words by Pakistan head coach.
Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will lead an 18-member Indian men's hockey team in the fourth Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) to be held in Kuantan, Malaysia from October 20 to 30. With an aim to form a group of leaders, Hockey India selectors have named 24-year-old midfielder Manpreet Singh as the vice-captain of the side for this tournament in place of SV Sunil.
India striker SV Sunil will face a disciplinary action for raising his middle finger at the spectators after scoring the winning goal against Pakistan in the Azlan Shah Cup match.
A young Indian team showed fantastic temperament to beat South Korea 5-3 and enhances its chances of making it to the final of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey, in Ordos, China, on Tuesday. India is now atop the group with seven points from three matches, followed by Pakistan and Korea.
India made a smart recovery from an early goal deficit to hold New Zealand to a 1-1 draw in their first Test of the four-match hockey series at the National Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. The visitors were jolted by a third minute goal through New Zealand captain Phil Burrows but their smart change of tactics in the second session yielded the equaliser in the 55th minute through SV Sunil.
The Indian team are in Pool B along with Pakistan, Malaysia, Wales, England, and will begin their campaign on April 7 against Pakistan.
India settled for silver after losing to Australia 3-1 (0-0) in penalty shootout in the final of Champions Trophy hockey tournament in London on Saturday. After their spectacular effort to hold World No.1 Australia at 0-0 in regular time, India missed three penalties in the shootout to go down fighting in a morale-boosting clash. SK Uthappa, vice-captain SV Sunil and Surendar Kumar missed the strokes for India.
Veteran midfielder Sardar Singh was on Friday dropped from India's 18-member squad for next month's Hockey World League Final, while the fit-again Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra made comebacks.
A dominant India hammered arch-rivals Pakistan 5-1 with SV Sunil striking twice in a round-robin league match of the Sultan Azlan Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh on Tuesday. The highlight of the match was four fantastic field goals from India while the other came from a penalty corner conversion. After their scrappy win over Canada in the last match, the Indians rose to the occasion and looked more organised and purposeful against Pakistan. It took India just four minute to take the lead through Manpreet Singh, who scored with a fierce reverse shot from a tight angle after being fed by Sunil. But Pakistan equalised three minutes later when skipper Muhammad Irfan (7th minute) converted the second of their successive penalty corners. India restored their lead in the 10th minute through Sunil, who scored with a deft touch off Manpreet's shot from outside the circle.
Kalinga Lancers eked out a close 6-5 win over Jaypee Punjab Warriors, their first-ever victory against the defending champions, to jump to the top of the standings in the fifth edition of the Hockey India League, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
A 24-strong team for the men's hockey series against Japan was announced on Thursday, following a week-long preparatory camp held at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, that commenced on April 22.
India began the opening quarter with a structured attack. It was striker SV Sunil who took the team's first potential shot on goal in the opening minute but was well defended by New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday.
SV Sunil's oodles of experience came in handy as his 59th minute strike enabled India to pip a gritty Wales 4-3 in their second Pool B encounter at the Commonwealth Games, in Gold Coast.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is planning to have India and Pakistan play their home and away matches in Europe if the arch-rivals face off in the Olympic qualifying tournament for a berth at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Captain Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh are among a few senior India players rested for next month's Olympic hockey test event in Tokyo. Besides Manpreet and Sreejesh, defender Surender Kumar was also rested.
Skipper Florian Fuchs and striker Affan Yusuf struck a brace each as Dabang Mumbai thrashed defending champions Jaypee Punjab Warriors 10-4 to register their second win in the fifth season of the Hockey India League (HIL), in Mumbai, on Friday.
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