The India A Men's Hockey team has embarked on a European tour, commencing with a match against Ireland on July 8 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The match is scheduled to begin at 21:30 IST. This tour is designed to provide crucial international exposure to a blend of emerging and experienced players, with the aim of strengthening the talent pool for the Indian senior team.

Led by Captain Sanjay and Vice-Captain Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, the India A team will play a total of eight matches across three European cities from July 8 to July 20. In Eindhoven, they will face Ireland, France, and the Netherlands in two matches each. The team will then travel to Amstelveen for a match against England, and conclude their tour in Antwerp with a game against Belgium.

According to Captain Sanjay, the tour will serve as a "good testing ground" to understand the team's strengths and weaknesses. He highlighted the blend of experienced and young players in the squad and emphasized that facing strong European teams would help assess their current standing. He also noted that this international exposure is vital for building a strong bench for the future.

Vice-Captain Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh echoed these sentiments, stating that the tour will help the team experience the intensity and style of top European hockey. He added that it is a great opportunity for younger players to adapt to a faster pace and different dynamics, which is invaluable for their growth and for Indian hockey as a whole.

Hockey India announced the squad for the Europe tour on July 1st. The 20-member squad includes goalkeepers Pawan and Mohit Honnenahalli Shashikumar, defenders Pratap Lakra, Varun Kumar, Amandeep Lakra, Parmod, and Sanjay. The midfield comprises Poovanna Chandura Boby, Mohammed Raheel Mouseen, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Pardeep Singh, and Rajinder Singh, while the forward line-up includes Angadbir Singh, Boby Singh Dhami, Maninder Singh, Venkatesh Kenche, Aditya Arjun Lalge, Selvam Karthi, and Uttam Singh. The standby list includes goalkeeper Ankit Malik, defender Sunil Jojo, and forward Sudeep Chirmako.

The team will be coached by Shivendra Singh, who is also the assistant coach of the Indian Men's Hockey Team. He brings a wealth of experience and a sharp focus on attacking play. Singh believes that this tour is an important platform for the players to experience the tempo, structure, and intensity of European hockey. He expressed confidence that the tour will be immensely beneficial in grooming the next batch of international players for India.

This tour is part of Hockey India's long-term vision to bolster the talent pipeline and provide international match time to the next generation of Indian hockey stars. The high-intensity games are expected to test the depth and readiness of India's talent pool as the national setup looks to build a strong pipeline for the senior team.

The India A team's opening match against Ireland marks an important step in their European tour, with both teams aiming to gain valuable experience and prepare for future international competitions.