DESCRIPTION:
* A 21-member Indian team will tour New Zealand for a series of six matches.
* Birendra Lakra is the only player from Odisha to have found a place in the Indian team.
* India will play four matches against New Zealand National Team and two matches against New Zealand A Team.
* The series is in preparation for the upcoming FIH Hockey World League Final, to be held in Raipur from November 27 to December 6 at Raipur, followed by the all important RIO Olympics next year.
* India won the Test series 2-1 and overall series 4-1
TEAM INDIA:
Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh (Vice-captain), Harjot Singh
Defenders: Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh, VR Raghunath, Jasjit Singh Kular, Rupinder Pal Singh, Gurjinder Singh
Mid-fielders: Sardar Singh (Captain), Chinglensana Singh, SK Uthappa, Satbir Singh, Devinder Walmiki, Manpreet Singh, Dharamvir Singh
Forwards: SV Sunil, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Nikkin Thimmaiah
MATCH SCHEDULE:
Oct 2: India vs New Zealand A at Auckland
Oct 3: India vs New Zealand A at Auckland
Oct 6: India vs New Zealand at Nelson
Oct 7: India vs New Zealand at Nelson
Oct 9: India vs New Zealand at Christchurch
Oct 11: India vs New Zealand at Christchurch
RESULTS:
October 3: India (SK Uthappa 5th, 34th) beat New Zealand A (Stephen Jenness 57th) 2-1.
October 6: New Zealand (Nick Haig 5th, Jared Panchia 27th) bt India 2-0.
October 7: India (Ramandeep Singh 13th, Lalit Updhyay 52nd, Nikkin Thimmaiah 70th) beat New Zealand (Kane Russell 45th) 3-1.
October 9: India (Rupinder Pal Singh 10th, Ramandeep Singh 41st, Dharamvir Singh 60th) beat New Zealand (Jared Panchia 22nd, Steve Edwards 52nd) 3-2.
October 11: India (Zealand a 1-0 lead over India. India replied immediately in the 43rd minute with a goal from SV Sunil (43rd) drew with New Zealand (Nick Ross 41st) 1-1.