The squad was finalized after a highly competitive national coaching camp conducted at the Udhav Das Mehta Central Centre at the Sports Authority of India facility in Bhopal. The camp was overseen by the coaching staff led by Sardar Singh and Rajnish Mishra, following weeks of rigorous evaluation and tactical preparation.
As part of their build-up, the team also participated in a high-profile four-match exposure series against the Australia U-18 team in Bhopal. India registered one win, suffered one defeat, and played out two matches as draws, gaining valuable international experience ahead of the continental tournament.
Forward Ketan Kushwaha has been appointed captain of the squad as India prepares to compete against Asia’s leading youth hockey nations. The coaching staff emphasized that the selection was driven by tactical balance, discipline, and adaptability under pressure.
Head coach Sardar Singh stated that the camp in Bhopal and the exposure series against Australia provided the players with critical insight into international match intensity and tempo. He further highlighted focused training on tactical structure, penalty corner execution, and defensive organisation, noting that the team enters the tournament with the clear objective of topping the group and mounting a strong title challenge.
India’s 18-member squad has been divided across three units. In goalkeeping, Sawan Kumar and Ayush Rajak have been selected. The defensive line includes Ansh Bahutra, Arman Soreng, Ashish Tani Purti, Arshdip Singh, Avi Manikpuri, and Romit Pal. The midfield unit comprises Rahul Yadav, Premchand Soy, Varinder Singh, Karan Gautam, and Siddharth Ben. The forward line features captain Ketan Kushwaha, Akash Deep, Gazee Khan, Shahrukh Ali, and Prahalad Rajbhar.
India has been placed in a competitive pool stage schedule. The team will open its campaign against Kazakhstan on May 29, 2026, at 09:30 IST. This will be followed by a clash against hosts Japan on May 31 at 13:30 IST. India will then face South Korea on June 1 at 15:30 IST before concluding its group-stage fixtures against Chinese Taipei on June 3 at 13:30 IST.
The top teams from the group stage will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for June 5, with the final and classification matches set for June 6, marking the culmination of the tournament.
With structured preparation, international exposure, and a balanced squad composition, India enters the U-18 Asia Cup 2026 with strong ambitions of progressing deep into the tournament and competing for the championship title.
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