For Harmanpreet, it’s a homecoming to play the Asian Champions Trophy

Come Tuesday (27 October), it will be a homecoming of sorts for Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian men’s hockey captain, as he steps onto the turf in Jalandhar to begin India’s title defence at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2026.

The Surjit Hockey Academy, located within the stadium and named after the late World Cup-winning defender who died in a car crash at the peak of his career, was where at least six stalwarts of the current Indian squad first learnt the ropes. 

The return of international hockey to Punjab, the cradle of Indian hockey, after 17 long years has evoked a strong sense of nostalgia among players and the local hockey fraternity. While Harmanpreet, Mandeep, Jarmanpreet Singh, Dilpreet Singh and goalkeeper Krishan Pathak are looking forward to their opening match against Bangladesh on Tuesday, veteran Manpreet Singh was disappointed to miss out at the last minute due to a calf muscle injury.

Speaking to Hockey India, Harmanpreet, fresh off back-to-back Asian Games triumphs, said: “It’s going to be a special occasion for the entire team, especially for the players from Punjab, because it’s the first time we will be wearing the India jersey at an international tournament in Punjab.”

“My entire family is expected to be at the stadium watching me play an international match together from the venue for the first time, including my father who has never seen me play for the country while sitting inside the stadium,” added Harmanpreet, the inspirational captain and a penalty corner specialist. A dampener for the tournament, meanwhile, is the fact that Pakistan are missing as they pulled out by refusing to play on Indian soil – making it a six-team affair with India, Malaysia, Japan, China, South Korea and Bangladesh.

After the league stage from 27 October to 2 November in Jalandhar, the tournament will move to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali that will host the semi-finals and the medal matches on 4 and 5 November. The last time Punjab hosted an international event was the Punjab Gold Cup in 2009 before Odisha entered the scene in a big way as hosts of the marquee events with their government playing a major benefactor for Hockey India.

For Manpreet, the playmaker and the highest capped player for India with 430 matches under his belt, the sense of missing out on playing at home must be hurting as his career is on it’s last legs. “When we were selected for the national camps, we carried our dreams with us. The time we spent at the Surjit Hockey Academy taught us not just how to play but also emboldened us to dare to dream big,” said the man who was in line to play his ninth and all editions of the Asian Champions Trophy this time.

Dilpreet is the youngest among the lot to have started on the very ground and the excitement in him was palpable. “Our careers launched from here, I played my first national (championship) from here before getting selected for India,” said the 26-year-old striker.  

“My parents keep asking me when is the tournament beginning, when can we come; they even want to come and watch me in training sessions,” said Dilpreet, inspired to pursue sports by his grandfather who was a long jumper and father - who used to play hockey. 

For goalkeeper Pathak, the motivation is even bigger as he makes his India comeback after a long gap of nine months. An overwhelmed Pathak thanked all who made an international tournament in Punjab possible. 

“I would like to thank the Punjab government and Hockey India for giving us this opportunity to play in Punjab,” said Pathak. “What makes the occasion even bigger for me and others from the Surjit Hockey Academy is that we will be playing at the same ground where we learned the sport for seven years. I don’t think there can be anything bigger than that.”

 Jarmanpreet was equally buoyed about playing on the home turf. “This is the place that gave us wings. For me it’s even more special because the two years I was not part of the Indian team, I spent that time at the Surjit Academy training and striving for a comeback, which eventually happened,” the defender added.