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Harmanpreet Singh: India defence priority ahead of Asian Champions Trophy

India captain says team will not take any opponent lightly as it targets a record sixth ACT title.

By , Editor

· 2 min read

Field hockey, general photo
Field hockey (general photo, not from this event) Photo: KeithJJ / Pixabay, Pixabay Content License

Harmanpreet Singh said defence is India's priority before the Asian Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. Lokmat Times reported that India, the five-time champions, will not underestimate any opponent in the six-team competition.

Key takeaways

  • Harmanpreet Singh called defence India's top priority ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy opener.
  • Lokmat Times reported India will face Bangladesh on Tuesday at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium.
  • India is the highest-ranked team at world number eight and a five-time ACT champion.
  • The squad retains most Asian Games gold medallists, with Aditya Lalage and Amandeep Lakra added.
  • Pakistan withdrew from the tournament citing security concerns, according to Lokmat Times.

Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has made defence the team's priority ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. Lokmat Times reported that India will open its campaign at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Tuesday, seeking a record sixth title in the six-team competition. Harmanpreet, who plays as a defender and is a penalty corner specialist, is regarded as one of the best drag flickers in the world and has scored the most number of international goals for India in modern-day hockey. He led India to gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games and 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian captain to win two Asiad golds, and has won the FIH Player of the Year title thrice.

What Harmanpreet said

Addressing a pre-tournament captains' press conference, Harmanpreet stated: "Defense is our priority. We have highly skilled forwards who create excellent opportunities. If we perform well on both defensive and offensive fronts, we can become a much stronger team." He added: "I will be focusing on our defensive performance. The way we defend as a team can make a huge difference to our overall performance. There are some areas where we need to improve, but we will analyze our performance and work on those aspects during the tournament." He downplayed the favourites tag, saying every team has come to compete and win, all teams are strong, and India does not want to take any opponent lightly.

Context and records

India is the most successful team in Asian Champions Trophy history, having won the trophy five times since the event began in 2011. Pakistan is the next most frequent champion with three titles. The Men's Asian Champions Trophy is held annually by the Asian Hockey Federation and features Asia's six top field hockey teams in a round robin format. India enters the 2026 edition as the highest-ranked team at world number eight and as reigning Asian Games gold medallists, a win that secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The squad largely retains the core players from the Asian Games gold, with young forward Aditya Lalage and defender Amandeep Lakra integrated into the team.

Tournament details and what happens next

The 2026 Men's Asian Champions Trophy is the 9th edition of the tournament, organized by the Asian Hockey Federation, and will be held from 27 October to 5 November 2026 across two cities in Punjab. Pakistan withdrew citing security concerns, and Bangladesh took its place in the six-team line-up. India plays Bangladesh in its opening match on Tuesday at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.

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