Bhopal, May 21: The Men’s Under-18 Asia Cup 2026 is set to commence on May 29, with matches taking place in Kakamigahara, Japan, until June 6. Hockey India announced the 18-member squad on Wednesday.
The team selection followed an intensive national coaching camp held at the Uddhav Das Mehta (Bhai Ji) Central Center in Bhopal. The coaching staff, including Sardar Singh and Rajneesh Mishra, oversaw the training. As part of their preparations, the Indian team played a high-profile series of four matches against Australia’s Under-18 team in Bhopal. Forward Ketan Kushwaha will captain the squad as they prepare to compete against Asia’s top youth teams.
During their preparation, the Indian team secured one victory and suffered one loss against Australia, with two matches ending in draws.
Before reaching the knockout stage, the Indian team must navigate a challenging group phase. They will kick off their campaign against Kazakhstan on May 29, followed by an exciting match against host nation Japan on May 31.
The Indian team will then face South Korea on June 1 and conclude their pool matches against Chinese Taipei on June 3. The top teams will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for June 5, with the tournament culminating in finals and classification matches on June 6.
Indian Under-18 Men’s Team:
Goalkeepers: Sawan Kumar, Ayush Rajak.
Defenders: Ansh Bahutara, Arman Soreng, Ashish Purti, Arshdeep Singh, Avi Manikpuri, Romit Pal.
Midfielders: Rahul Yadav, Premchand Soy, Varinder Singh, Karan Gautam, Siddharth Ben.
Forwards: Ketan Kushwaha (Captain), Akash Deep, Ghazi Khan, Shah Rukh Ali, Prahlad Rajbhar.
Match Schedule:
– May 29: India vs Kazakhstan (9:30 AM)
– May 31: India vs Japan (1:30 PM)
– June 1: India vs South Korea (3:30 PM)
– June 3: India vs Chinese Taipei (1:30 PM)
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