Farewell or missed chance? Sreejesh questions India’s Asian Champions Trophy team

Former India wicketkeeper PR Sreejesh questioned India’s decision to field their established players in the Asian Champions Trophy after their golden triumph at the Asian Games. He believes the tournament presents an opportunity to test the squad’s bench strength and prepare younger players for the challenges ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Asian Champions Trophy will be India’s third major tournament in about three months after the World Cup and Asian Games. With just two weeks between the World Cup and the Asian Games, followed by just three weeks before the Asian Champions Trophy, Sreejesh questioned whether the team needed another tough campaign with its key players.

“We won gold at the Asian Games, but we are back with our best players at the Asian Champions Trophy. Is this tournament really worth the risk of exhausting our key players when we have bigger challenges ahead?” Sreejesh wrote in a post on X.

“Even Pakistan won’t be participating! Why not rest our stars, test the strength of the bench and give the young players a real chance to prove themselves?” he added.

He also questioned whether the team’s approach was driven by long-term planning or the pursuit of the next trophy, while raising concerns about the position of head coach and the possibility of senior players nearing the end of their international careers.

“Do we have a real second team or are we just afraid to test it? Or is another trophy the perfect way for the head coach to secure another two years in the hot seat? We are 8th in the world rankings. Are we building a team for the future or are we protecting positions in the present?” he added.

FOUR SENIORS AND A PARTING QUESTION

Sreejesh’s notes about a potential farewell tournament they come amid reports that Mandeep Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh and Nilakanta Sharma could play their final matches for India during the Asian Champions Trophy as Hockey India looks to refresh the squad ahead of the Olympics.

“Or, as they say, is this tournament a platform to say goodbye to big names? If that’s the real plan, then I sincerely appreciate it! Legends deserve a proper farewell!” written by Sreejesh.

However, reports suggested that the four players were caught off guard by the news and were not consulted. Their desire to continue representing India added another layer to the questions surrounding the team’s transition.

INDIA’S TRANSITION BEFORE LA 2028

India have made room for fresh faces in the squad, with young defender Amandeep Lakra and forward Aditya Arjun Lalage getting opportunities, while goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak has returned to the side. However, the core of the Asian Games winning team remains intact.

The tournament will also mark the return of international hockey to Punjab, with matches scheduled in Jalandhar and Mohali.

Sreejesh’s message is that winning another title should not come at the cost of training the next generation.

“Trophies are important. Building a winning team is even more important,” he wrote.

With India securing direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics with their Asian Games triumph, the Asian Champions Trophy, which begins on October 27, offers an opportunity to assess the team’s depth while maintaining its competitive edge.

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