Four key players, including ace drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and midfielder S K Uthappa, were dropped from India's 18-man squad for the Hockey World League semi-final, in Antwerp, Belgium, from June 20 to July 5. Besides Rupinder and Uthappa, forwards Mandeep Singh and Satbir Singh got the axe.
Indian men's hockey team finished a disappointing fourth at the Commonwealth Games as it struggled to breach a stout England defence to lose the bronze medal match 1-2, in Gold Coast, on Saturday.
His wards might have failed to break the medal jinx at the just-concluded Rio Olympics, but Indian men's hockey team's chief coach Roelant Oltmans says their results in the quadrennial extravaganza were satisfactory if not ideal. India finished fourth in group stage having won two, drawn one and lost two. One of India's win came against eventual gold medallists, Argentina. But the Men in Blue failed to go beyond the quarterfinals having lost 1-3 to silver medallists Belgium.
After a goalless opening two quarters, Nick Ross broke the deadlock for New Zealand in the 41st minute. But the hosts' joy was short lived as India equalised two minutes later through a field goal from SV Sunil (43rd).
The Indian men's hockey team's preparation for the London Olympics ended on a disappointing note as they lost 1-2 to hosts Spain in the final league match of the tri-nation invitational tournament in Santander on Wednesday.
The multi-million dollar World Series Hockey suffered a huge jolt just days before its start, with six top Indian players withdrawing from the league, from December 17. Goalkeepers Bharat Chetri and PR Sreejesh, star drag flicker Sandeep Singh, defender Sardar Singh, and forwards Tushar Khandker and Yuvraj Walmiki have preferred country over the unsanctioned league.
Striker Gurwinder Singh Chandi failed to make the cut as Hockey India announced an 18-member squad, led by Sadar Singh, for the eight-nation Hero men's Champions Trophy, in Bhubaneswar, from December 6-14. Lalit Upadhyay, who was capped nine times earlier, has been drafted in place of Chandi in the squad, named by Hockey India selectors after trials at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on November 18.
In a nerve-wracking contest, India beat Pakistan in penalty-shootout to clinch the coveted hockey gold at the Asian Games in Incheon on Thursday. This triumph ensures the Indian hockey team a berth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
World No 5 India won all five matches during the tour, beating Belgium 2-0 in the opening match, and registering 6-1 and 5-1 wins over Spain in the next two games, before finishing off their Tour with two more wins (2-1 and 5-1).
India suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of world champions Australia to start their campaign on a losing note at the four-nation hockey test event for the upcoming London Olympics.
The Indian hockey team finished sixth at the FIH World League after losing a tense play-off match on penalties to higher-ranked Spain, in Rotterdam on Sunday.
India beat Pakistan in a thrilling final via the tie-breaker to win the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Ordos, China, on Sunday. The match ended in a stalemate after 70 minutes' full-time and even 15 minutes' extra-time failed to break the deadlock.
India's hopes of qualifying for the title clash hung in balance as they succumbed 2-4 to world champions Australia in their last league outing of the 36th Hero Champions Trophy Hockey tournament in London on Thursday. India's two goals came from penalty corner shooter VR Raghunath and striker Mandeep Singh, but it was too late to cause any threat to Australia, who had gained a stranglehold through strikes from Trent Mitton, Aran Zalewski, Flynn Ogilvie and Tristian White.
Delhi Waveriders maintained their winning streak and defeated Uttar Pradesh Wizards 3-1 to move to the top of the points table of the fourth Hockey India League, in Lucknow, on Saturday.
Ace midfielder Sardar Singh will lead a full strength Indian men's hockey team in the 24th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 5 to 12.
As part of a rotation policy, goalkeeper Bharat Chetri was on Thursday named captain while the controversial duo of Sandeep Singh and Sardara Singh were recalled to the Indian hockey team for next month's tour of Australia. Veteran midfielder Ignace Tirkey will be Chetri's deputy.
India produced an improved show after their opening match loss to New Zealand in a thrilling 1-1 draw with arch-rivals Pakistan, in the Lanco International Super Series Hockey 9s in Perth on Friday.
India crashed to their second defeat in the men's hockey World Cup by conceding a late goal yet again to go down 1-2 against England at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Monday.
Indian men's hockey team fired in a goal two minutes from the final hooter through Ramandeep Singh to pull off a 3-2 win over France and begin their FIH World League semi-finals campaign on a winning note in Antwerp.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
An inspired India registered their first win over the Netherlands in 18 years when they stunned the World Cup and Olympic silver medallists 3-2 in a high-voltage encounter to finish third in Pool B at the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
As the curtains come down at the Tokyo Olympics, here's a glance at the medallists and those who came within touching distance of glory.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
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.
Hosts India blew away a goal lead and conceded two late goals to go down 1-2 against Belgium to finish sixth in the Hero Hockey World League Final on a chilly evening at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in New Delhi on Saturday.
India's defence held its ground against desperate Great Britain as they clinched a 2-1 victory in the 36th Champions Trophy in London on Saturday. The victory puts India at the top of the league standings with four points. Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh stood his ground against a number of shots at the goal, four of them on penalty corners, as India made use of a breakaway opportunity created by right winger SV Sunil and their defenders covered the angles well to emerge victorious. Playing deep inside their own territory in the first quarter against early British raids, India scored through Mandeep Singh on their first raid by Sunil in the 17th minute.
The Indian team support staff also wore the black arm bands.
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.
India conceded a soft goal in the fifth minute of the second semi-final encounter when Cedric Charlier scored from a field strike for Belgium, which eventually separated both the teams at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel stadium.
With almost all the teams bringing in new-look squads, India will target their fifth Sultan Azlan Shah trophy. However, success won't come easy as the defending champions will have to overcome some stiff resistance from world champions Australia and Asian champions South Korea along the way.
A 21-member Indian men's hockey team will embark on a 15-day tour of Europe, starting July 31. High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans will take over as the chief coach of the side following the unceremonious ouster of Paul Van Ass.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday.
India entered the final of the ninth Asia Cup hockey tournament beating Malaysia 2-0 in the semi-finals at the Sultan Azlan Shah stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Friday.
India put up a spirited show before squandering the early lead to go down 1-3 against defending champions Australia in a league match of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament, in Ipoh.
India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 in an intense match of the Asian Champions Trophy on Sunday.
India outplayed reigning Asian Games champions Japan 7-2 to storm into the final of the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday, assuring themselves a place in the year end's Olympic qualifying event.
India showed urgency but it was too little, too late as they suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands in their FIH World League Round 3 match in Rotterdam on Saturday.
India struck four times after a goalless first quarter to tame hosts Malaysia 4-2 and rise to second in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament, in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Tuesday.
The match was stopped in the fourth quarter due to heavy rains with around eight minutes left in the match.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday.
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