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The Tokyo Olympics are all set to begin on July 23 and India will be sending its largest-ever contingent of 127 athletes to the quadrennial event. 16 of them will make up the squad for hockey, a sport that's helped India garner most of its gold medals. The last one came back in 1980 and the current line-up will be aiming to end the 41-year long medal drought.
Halfback Manpreet Singh, one of the most experienced and talented players in the squad, will be leading the charge. He featured in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and will be heading into his third Games as flagbearer for the Indian contingent.
Another experienced campaigner is goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who will also be contesting his third Olympics. Team India is ranked fourth in the world and if things go as planned, Manpreet and his boys could definitely make their nation proud and bring back the a medal.
Also read: 3 reasons why Indian men's hockey team is poised to win a medal at Tokyo Olympics
Here's the complete list and the state-wise split of hockey players representing India at the Tokyo Olympics:
Hockey India team for the Tokyo Olympics
Captain: Manpreet Singh, Halfback [Punjab]
Manpreet Singh became the captain of the Indian team in 2017. Since then, he has been leading the way with some exceptional performances in international competitions. This will be his first Olympics as skipper and no one will be trying harder to lead the team to the podium and end India's long medal drought.
Goalkeeper: PR Sreejesh [Kerala]
The most experienced player on the team and the wall that will look to stop every goal attempt from going inside the net, PR Sreejesh has seen it all. And he will be hoping to add an Olympic medal to his already successful international career.
Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh [Punjab]
Harmanpreet Singh will take charge of defensive duties at the Olympics. He hails from Punjab, a breeding ground for hockey stars and has been a key part of the team in its journey to Tokyo.
Rupinder Pal Singh [Punjab]
Rupinder Pal Singh will take the field as a fullback for the team. His ability to execute the drag flick is well known and he will be one of the vital cogs of the team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Surender Kumar [Haryana]
Defender Surender Kumar will be another player heading into his second Olympic Games. The Karnal, Haryana native was part of the national squad that participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Also read: India at Tokyo Olympics 2021: Hockey
Amit Rohidas [Orissa]
Amit Rohidas will be part of the defensive unit at the Tokyo Olympics. He first featured for the Indian team at the Asia Cup in 2013.
Birendra Lakra [Odisha]
Birendra Lakra will be the vice-captain of the Indian hockey team. He has been part of the squad for a long time and plays at the full-back position.
Midfielders:
Hardik Singh [Punjab]
Hardik Singh will be making his Olympic debut in Tokyo. The midfielder was part of the Indian team that won the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy.
Vivek Sagar Prasad [Madhya Pradesh]
Vivek Prasad won the FIH Rising Star of the Year award in 2019. He made his entry into the Indian team aged just 17.
Nilakanta Sharma [Manipal]
Nilakanta Sharma plays as a midfielder for the Indian hockey team. He was part of the squad that won the Junior World Cup in 2016.
Sumit [Haryana]
Sumit plays as a midfielder for the Indian hockey team. He made his senior debut in the 2017 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Forwards:
Shamsher Singh [Punjab]
Shamsher Singh plays as a forward for the Indian hockey team. He made his international debut in 2019.
Dilpreet Singh [Punjab]
Dilpreet Singh plays as a forward for the Indian hockey team. He was part of the lineup that bagged bronze in the 2018 Asian Games.
Gurjant Singh [Punjab]
Gurjant Singh plays as a forward for the Indian hockey team. He was part of the group that won gold at the Asian Champions Trophy.
Lalit Kumar Upadhyay [Uttar Pradesh]
Lalit Kumar Upadhyay plays as a forward for the Indian hockey team. He has been a part of the squad for a while now, having featured in the 2016 and 2018 Asian Champions Trophy triumphs.
Mandeep Singh [Punjab]
Mandeep Singh plays as a forward for the Indian hockey team. He made his international debut in February 2013 against Fiji.
Also read: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Indian Women's Hockey Team's Opponents
Also Checkout: Tokyo Olympic Hockey Schedule
