Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team Heads to Berlin for 4 Nations Tournament
Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team Departure
Bengaluru, June 18: The Indian Junior Men's Hockey squad departed for Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday morning to participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Tournament, scheduled from June 21 to 25.
Under the leadership of captain Araijeet Singh Hundal, the team will kick off their pool stage with a match against the host nation, Germany, on June 21, followed by encounters with Australia on June 22 and Spain on June 24.
The top two teams from the pool stage will advance to compete for the championship, while the remaining teams will vie for third and fourth place on June 25. All matches are set to take place at TC 1899 Blau Weiß in Berlin.
Prior to their departure, Captain Araijeet Singh Hundal remarked, "This tournament is essential for us as we prepare for the FIH Junior World Cup 2025. With only a few months remaining, it presents an excellent chance to evaluate our strengths, experiment with new combinations, and pinpoint areas needing improvement. Competing against some of the best teams will help us test our capabilities and explore various strategies."
Vice-captain Amir Ali expressed, "We aim to address any weaknesses before the World Cup in November. The 4 Nations Tournament will serve as an ideal testing ground for both the team and individual players, allowing us to assess our strengths and weaknesses and make necessary improvements."
The FIH Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup 2025 is set to occur in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10 this year. With less than six months until this significant global event, the 4 Nations Tournament will be a crucial preparatory stage for the Indian team.
Historically, India has secured two gold and one silver medal across 14 editions of the FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup. The nation's first medal was a silver in 1997 at Milton Keynes, England, where they lost 3-2 to Australia in the final. Four years later, India clinched their first Junior World Cup title in Hobart, Australia. In the last two editions held in 2021 and 2023, India finished in fourth place.