India Begins Title Defense at Asian Champions Trophy

The Indian men's hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, is set to defend its Asian Champions Trophy title starting with a match against hosts China on September 8, 2024. Fresh off their bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, India is the most successful team in the tournament's history with four titles and aims to continue their dominance. This year’s squad includes new additions such as goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, following the retirement of veteran PR Sreejesh. Alongside India, other participating teams include China, Japan, Pakistan, Korea, and Malaysia. The tournament will follow a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. India is considered the favorite to win the title again due to their strong performance and strategic gameplay, particularly in attacking and penalty corners.