Indian hockey player Manpreet Singh has been ruled out of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 due to a calf injury sustained during a training session, and Midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad has been named as his replacement in the Indian squad.
The development was announced by Indian team captain Harmanpreet Singh during the captains’ press conference in Jalandhar on Monday and captains of all six participating teams attended the press conference ahead of the tournament.
Manpreet Singh sustained the injury during training, making him unavailable for the upcoming tournament. Vivek Sagar Prasad, who also plays as a midfielder, will take his place in the squad.
The change comes ahead of the start of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, which will feature six teams: India, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Japan and Bangladesh.
The tournament will begin on Tuesday, October 27, with matches scheduled at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, and a total of 15 matches will be played in Jalandhar, while the remaining five matches are scheduled to take place in Mohali on November 4 and 5.
India will begin its campaign against Bangladesh at 7 pm on the opening day of the tournament and the event will also feature an opening ceremony attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, with singer Ninja scheduled to perform.
The tournament will bring together six Asian teams competing for the continental title. The Indian team will look to make the most of its home advantage as it begins its campaign in Punjab and with Manpreet Singh ruled out due to injury, Vivek Sagar Prasad will now be part of India’s squad for the competition.
