Hockey Punjab Crowned Champions of 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025

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Hockey Punjab reclaimed the coveted 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship title after a dominant 4-1 victory over Hockey Madhya Pradesh in the final held in Jhansi.

After being knocked out in the quarter-finals by Hockey Maharashtra last season, Hockey Punjab bounced back in style to lift the trophy once again, having previously won it in 2023. Under the leadership of captain Hardik Singh and head coach Rajinder Singh, the side showcased resilience and tactical maturity throughout the competition.

Hockey Punjab finished second in Pool A of Division 1, three points adrift of table-toppers Hockey Madhya Pradesh, who also inflicted their only defeat in the tournament. However, the team regrouped effectively in the knockout stages. They edged past Hockey Haryana 3-2 in a hard-fought quarter-final before clinching a thrilling 4-3 semi-final win over hosts Uttar Pradesh Hockey. In a fitting finale, they avenged their earlier loss by comprehensively defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh.

Jugraj Singh was instrumental in the title triumph, emerging as the tournament's second-highest goalscorer with five goals, including a brace in the final. Rising star Araijeet Singh Hundal also made a mark with three goals, playing a vital role in Punjab's attacking setup.

Reflecting on the campaign, head coach Rajinder Singh praised his squad's determination and adaptability. "It was a very good tournament for us, and we gave a solid performance overall. The loss against Hockey Madhya Pradesh was truly a turning point for us. We knew we were a strong side but after that loss, we regrouped and ensured we didn't take the rest of the matches lightly."

He also elaborated on the strategic adjustments that proved pivotal: "Since we didn't have a lot of time to train together before the tournament, so I left it upon the players to naturally settle and play since we have a few national players in the squad. After the loss in the Pool stage, we changed our strategy a little and shifted from zonal-marking to man-marking which worked out better for us."

Despite conceding first in the final, Hockey Punjab delivered a clinical second-half performance to seal the title. Captain Hardik Singh credited the team's attacking mindset. "The plan was to attack from the start and the boys executed well. Though I still feel we missed a couple of chances, we are extremely happy with the win. It's always great to perform in the domestic circuit, overall the competition was good and it feels good to win the gold medal."

With this triumph, Hockey Punjab once again underlined their status as one of the premier forces in Indian domestic hockey.