Hockey

A fresh controversy has emerged within Indian hockey after former national goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh publicly alleged that he was treated unfairly by Hockey India following the termination of his role as junior men’s team coach. The development comes amid the federation’s decision to appoint French coach Frederic Soyez to oversee the junior setup. Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has denied claims of sidelining Sreejesh, asserting that multiple efforts were made to integrate the former goalkeeper into the national structure.

In a strategic move aimed at strengthening India’s long-term hockey pipeline, Hockey India has appointed renowned French coach Frederic Soyez as the head coach of the Indian junior men’s hockey team. Widely respected across European hockey circles, Soyez arrives with more than three decades of elite-level experience as both an international player and a high-performance coach. His appointment reflects India’s growing emphasis on structured talent development, tactical modernization, and global competitiveness ahead of future international tournaments.

Former India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has publicly raised concerns over the functioning and long-term planning of Indian hockey administration following his contentious departure from the junior men’s team setup. The veteran athlete questioned the lack of structural clarity surrounding Hockey India’s proposed development squad, highlighting the absence of a defined player pool, competitive roadmap, and tournament calendar. His remarks have triggered wider discussions about governance, athlete management, and succession planning within Indian hockey.

The Hero Hockey India League (HIL) has officially opened player registrations for its 2027 season, marking the beginning of preparations for one of the sport’s most commercially significant franchise tournaments. Registrations commenced on May 15, 2026, while the player auction is scheduled for September. Following the successful revival of the league in the 2024-25 season and continued growth during the 2025-26 edition, organizers are positioning the upcoming campaign as a larger and more globally competitive event.

Hockey India has unveiled a high-intensity Senior Women’s National Coaching Camp from May 11 to May 20, 2026, as part of a broader strategic roadmap for one of the most consequential seasons in recent Indian women’s hockey history. The camp will serve as a preparatory phase before the national squad embarks on an exposure tour of Australia, a move designed to sharpen competitive readiness ahead of the FIH Nations Cup in Auckland next month.

Hockey India has announced a Senior Women’s National Coaching Camp from May 11 to May 20, 2026, as part of preparations for a demanding international calendar that includes the FIH Nations Cup, the Women’s Hockey World Cup, and the Asian Games. The camp will serve as a critical assessment phase before the Indian team departs for an exposure tour of Australia ahead of the Nations Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, in June.

A quiet sporting transformation is taking shape in Bihar, where former Indian hockey player Ajitesh Roy is attempting to revive the state’s long-dormant connection with elite hockey. Through the establishment of the RK Roy Hockey Academy in Patna in 2018, Roy set out with a singular objective: to develop a sustainable pathway for young players from Bihar to reach the Indian national team. The initiative addresses a decades-long vacuum in the state’s hockey ecosystem following the bifurcation that created Jharkhand.

The Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy has once again captured national attention after several of its young athletes earned selection to India’s Under-18 squads for an international hockey series against Australia. The achievement reflects the academy’s growing stature as one of the country’s most effective talent development institutions. Based in Bhopal, the academy has steadily built a reputation for producing technically refined and mentally resilient players capable of competing at the highest level.

Hockey India has announced the 24-member Indian Under-18 men’s and women’s squads for the upcoming home series against Australia U-18 Hockey Team, scheduled from May 15 to 20. The series is being viewed as a strategically significant platform for talent assessment and long-term player development ahead of future international competitions. With India increasingly investing in grassroots hockey infrastructure and youth pathways, the bilateral contest offers emerging players an opportunity to gain valuable exposure against one of the sport’s strongest global systems.

In a compelling story of talent transcending geography, 16-year-old Akshra Dutta from the remote border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir has earned a place in India’s Under-18 National Coaching Camp in Bhopal. Her selection follows a standout performance at the national sub-junior championship, where she emerged as one of the top scorers. Coming from a region with limited sporting infrastructure, Akshra’s achievement underscores both individual resilience and the untapped potential in India’s hinterlands.