India names 20-member squad for FIH men’s hockey World Cup; Harmanpreet to captain; 2026-27 Duleep Trophy: West squad named with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain
India has selected a 20-member squad for the FIH men’s hockey World Cup, with Harmanpreet Singh as captain, while the West Zone has named Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy.
- The Indian squad was finalised for the FIH men’s hockey World Cup with Harmanpreet Singh as captain and Manpreet Singh included for experience.
- The West Zone squad for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy was announced with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain and Shams Mulani as vice-captain.
India has named a 20-member squad for the FIH men’s hockey World Cup. The selection matters because squad composition, captaincy, and omission of in-form players are central to how elite sporting bodies balance performance, experience, and available slots.
What happened
The Indian men's hockey squad will be led by Harmanpreet Singh, the drag-flick specialist who captained India to the Olympic bronze at Paris 2024. The squad includes veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh for experience and is described as a mix of established players and in-form younger players.
UPSC can use India’s hockey squad selection and the West Zone’s Duleep Trophy team selection to ask about merit-based selection, squad composition under constraints, leadership in team sports, and the role of national and zonal tournaments in building performance pathways.
