Asian Champions Trophy returns to Punjab with five academy graduates in India squad
· Sports · Indian Express, Times of India, Sportstar
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh leads a Punjab-heavy squad at the Asian Champions Trophy in Jalandhar, with five players including himself, Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and goalkeeper Krishan Pathak belonging to the Surjit Hockey Academy. The 80s-90s generation of Punjab players inspired the current crop, who trained at the academy before rising to Olympic hero status. Harmanpreet recalled training on a small astroturf patch as a youth, crediting coaches Avtar Singh Pinka and Gurdev Singh Debi for his development. The Indian national team is playing in Punjab for the first time since 2009, with the event taking place at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium.
Why it matters
Punjab players who trained at the Surjit Hockey Academy now headline India's Olympic campaign, completing a full circle from star-struck trainees to national heroes on home soil. Their presence validates the academy's role in India's return to the Olympic podium.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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