Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 26: India’s U-18 men’s and women’s hockey teams have departed for Kakamigahara, Japan, to participate in the U-18 Asia Cup 2026, scheduled from May 29 to June 6.
The men’s team left from New Delhi on Monday evening, while the women’s squad departed on Tuesday morning after completing intensive training camps and exposure matches in preparation for the continental tournament.
Both squads trained for nearly a month at the Udhav Das Mehta (Bhai Ji) Central Centre at SAI, Bhopal. The men’s camp was supervised by former India star Sardar Singh along with coach Rajnish Mishra, while the women’s side trained under former India captain Rani Rampal.
As part of their preparations, the Indian junior teams played four-match exposure series against visiting Australian U-18 squads in Bhopal. The men’s side registered one win, one loss and two draws, while the women’s team concluded their series with an encouraging victory, boosting confidence ahead of the tournament.
The Indian men’s team will be led by forward Ketan Kushwaha and has been placed in Pool A alongside Kazakhstan, hosts Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei.
India will begin its campaign against Kazakhstan on May 29, followed by matches against Japan on May 31, Korea on June 1 and Chinese Taipei on June 3.
Pool B in the men’s category includes Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals on June 5, with the final set for June 6.
Before departure, captain Ketan Kushwaha said representing India at the Asia Cup was both an honour and a major responsibility.
He stated that the training camp and exposure matches against Australia had helped the squad improve coordination and gain valuable international experience. He added that the players were confident and eager to perform strongly against the best junior teams in Asia.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team will be captained by Sweety Kujur. The team focused extensively on tactical execution, fitness and team combinations during its camp in Bhopal.
Placed in Pool A, the Indian women’s side will open its campaign against Malaysia on May 30 before taking on Korea on May 31. Their final group-stage match will be against Singapore on June 2.
Like the men’s tournament, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on June 5, followed by the final on June 6.
Captain Sweety Kujur expressed confidence in the team’s preparation, saying the players had worked hard during the camp and gained important lessons from the matches against Australia.
She added that ending the exposure series with a win had lifted the team’s morale and that the squad was determined to give its best and make the country proud at the Asia Cup.