India’s young colts will be aiming to claim the top spot in the Sultan of Johor Crown, and Indian hockey star PR Sreejesh, the now coach of the Indian junior men’s team, recalls this event as a ‘special’ one, considering the fact that many current senior players in the senior men’s team have made their mark here.
India enters the tournament as the second most successful team in its history, with three titles (2013, 2014, 2022) to their credit. Only Great Britain, with four wins, has a better record.
India has also picked up four silver medals (2012, 2015, 2018, 2019) and a bronze in 2023 and 2024.
In 2025, the team’s round-robin fixtures are:
India vs Great Britain (11 Oct)
India vs New Zealand (12 Oct)
India vs Pakistan (14 Oct)
India vs Australia (15 Oct)
India vs Malaysia (17 Oct)
The top two teams will contest the Final on 18 October.
According to Hockey India, the men’s junior team departed from Bengaluru with a well-prepared squad, led by their coach Sreejesh. The team last won bronze in the previous edition and aims to go further this time.
Coach PR Sreejesh called the Sultan of Johor Cup a “special tournament”, one where many current senior players made their mark. He emphasized building a balanced team that blends structure, creativity, discipline, and aggression.
"The Sultan of Johor Cup has always been a special tournament for us - it's where many of our current senior players first made their mark. It provides young players with the perfect stage to test themselves against the best in the world and understand what it takes to perform consistently at the international level,” Sreejesh was quoted as saying, according to an ANI report.
"Our preparation has been focused on building a well-balanced team - one that can combine structure with creativity, and discipline with aggression. The boys have trained with great intensity over the past few weeks, and there is a strong sense of purpose in the group. This tournament will also serve as a great platform to prepare for the Junior World Cup later this year. Facing strong teams in this tournament will give the players valuable experience and a real feel of top-level competition," the hockey legend continued.
The team enters with confidence and a clear goal: to play fast, fearless, and intelligent hockey, uphold India’s legacy, and aim for the top spot.
