Asian Champions Trophy opens in Jalandhar as city hosts its first international hockey tournament

Jalandhar will host its first international hockey tournament when the Asian Champions Trophy commences at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Tuesday.

For a city long known for producing large numbers of players rather than staging international events, the tournament represents a change of emphasis. Five members of the Indian team named to face Bangladesh learned their hockey at this ground; Manpreet Singh suffered a calf injury during training a couple of days ago that ruled him out, and Vivek Sagar Prasad has been called into the squad instead. Manpreet is the only player to have featured in each of the eight editions of the Asian Champions Trophy.

Organisers were completing final preparations on the eve of the tournament, erecting flex boards, entry gates and sales counters around the venue. Matches will be played on green turf and the stadium provides concrete stands rather than fixed seating. The colour of the turf is immaterial so long as the turf complies with FIH standards.

The ground is situated in the heart of the city with easy access and closer proximity for fans, forming more of an integrated complex than a large stand-alone stadium. That layout and scale recall the configuration of older hockey venues.

Several former athletes now employed with Punjab Police were present at the venue, including former captain Baljit Singh Dhillon and ex-shot-putter and AFI president Bahadur Singh Sagoo. Local administration and officials have completed preparatory work for the event, and Punjab’s continuing role as a nursery for Indian hockey will be on display. The tournament will also test Hockey India’s attempts to diversify where international hockey is hosted within the country.

Pakistan’s withdrawal opened the door for Bangladesh to join the field. India, two-time defending champion and five-time winner of the competition, will be regarded as the favourite, as much for its continental and competition dominance as for its recent achievements.

The opening day’s schedule lists Malaysia vs. China (1 p.m.), Japan vs. Korea (3.15 p.m.) and India vs. Bangladesh (7.20 p.m.), with India’s match against Bangladesh serving as the hosts’ first game in their maiden international tournament in Jalandhar.