Retired veteran drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh is set to lead India's second-rate men's hockey team in the Asia Cup to be held in Jakarta from May 23 to June 1. Senior players like Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh are not going to play in this tournament. India have selected their second-tier squad for the tournament with Birender Lakra as the vice-captain along with Rupinder.

Both Rupinder and Lakra announced their retirement after the Tokyo Olympic Games last year but were later made available for selection. The Asia Cup is a qualifier tournament for the World Cup, but being the host, India has been given automatic entry into the tournament to be held in January next year. The top three teams from the Asia Cup are going to qualify for the World Cup. Two-time Olympian Sardar Singh has been made the coach of the team. This is said to be the first tournament of this former captain as a coach.

India's veteran playmaker SV Sunil has also made a comeback after retirement. He did not play in the Tokyo Olympics due to injury. In the Asia Cup, India were placed in Pool A along with Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh have moved into Pool B. There are at least 10 players in the team who have also been seen making their debut in the senior team. In which Junior World Cup players Yashdeep Siwach, Abhishek Lakra, Manjeet, Vishnukant Singh and Uttam Singh were also present. Along with this, the team includes new faces in the form of Marisvaren Sakthivel, Sesha Gowda BM, Pawan Rajbhar, Aabharan Sudev and S Karthi.

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