The Hockey Association of Odisha on Sunday announced their 18-member squad for the 13th Hockey India Junior Men’s National Championship 2023 that is scheduled to be held at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, in Rourkela from June 12-22.
The largest seated hockey stadium in the world will host 29 state teams from across India as they compete for supremacy. Last year, Hockey Odisha had enjoyed a promising campaign, with a fourth-place finish in Tamil Nadu. They will be eager to improve on that performance. This year, Odisha are slated in Group D along with Manipur, Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir.
Host Odisha will feature 19-year-old midfielder Rosan Kujur as captain. Deep defender Anmol Ekka will serve as the vice-captain while Nelsan Barla and Vivek Lakra are the designated goalkeepers. The squad will also comprise Wilson Xaxa and Aakash Soreng as deep defenders along with Parsant Birla, Sanjit Tirkey and Asit Lakra as flank defenders. The midfield will contain Ranjit Lakra, Ritik Kujur, Arbin Toppo, and Jasman Munda. Meanwhile, Pratap Toppo, Deepak Minz, Paulus Lakra and Silheiba Lisham will serve as strikers.
Head coach Kariappa BJ is confident about the team’s brilliant performance this time.
“Last year, our team’s remarkable performance led us to the semi-finals, showcasing our ability. This year, with the help of our intense training and thorough preparation, we aim to surpass that. Witnessing the incredible support our teams received during the Sub Juniors has inspired us, and we eagerly anticipate the same atmosphere in the upcoming tournament,” said Kariappa.
Odisha will face Hockey Gujarat in their first encounter of the campaign on June 12.