Hockey India named Sanjay as the captain of the Indian men’s hockey team in absence of Harmanpreet Singh for the 2025 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup on Saturday.

The prestigious invitational event will be held in Ipoh Malaysia from 23 November to 30 November, 2025 later this month.

With India building towards the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup and the 2026 Asian Games next year, veterans like Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh have been given a break. Also missing in the team is goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Phatak.

The squad instead features Pawan and Mohith HS as goalkeepers, while the defensive unit comprises Poovanna Chandura Boby, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas and, captain Sanjay.

The midfield will be marshalled by Rajinder Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem, Vivek Sagar Prasad and Mohammed Raheel Mouseen.

Leading the attack for India will be forwards Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Selvam Karthi, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Dilpreet Singh and Abhishek.

“The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has always been a key tournament in the international hockey calendar, and we are excited to participate with a balanced squad. Our focus has been on sharpening our structure in both attack and defence, improving decision-making under pressure, and maintaining consistency throughout the game,” said Indian coach Craig Fulton.

“This group has shown great discipline and hunger in training, and we believe they are ready to take on the challenge. We look forward to strong performances in Ipoh and using this tournament as an important step in our long-term 2026 World Cup and Asian Games cycle,” he added.

India will open their campaign at the 2025 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup against Korea on 23rd November, followed by Belgium on 24th November.

The men in blue will then face hosts Malaysia on 26th November and New Zealand on 27th November, before concluding their league stage against Canada on 29th November.

The tournament will be played in a round-robin format, with the top two teams qualifying for the Final on 30th November.