India began their 13th Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) campaign in dramatic fashion, edging defending champions Great Britain 3–2 in a pulsating opening match at the Johor Hockey Stadium, Taman Daya.
Captain Rohit emerged as India’s hero of the night, scoring twice — including the decisive winner in the 52nd minute — to secure the Blue Shirts’ first three points of the tournament in front of a lively Johor crowd.
Great Britain began strongly, applying pressure from the first whistle and earning two penalty corners within the opening eight minutes. However, India’s goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh stood firm, producing fine saves to deny the defending champions an early breakthrough.
India gradually found their rhythm as the first quarter progressed, pushing back with structured counter-attacks. The intensity rose when Ravneet Singh found space in the 23rd minute to score a brilliant field goal, handing India a 1–0 lead.
But Great Britain, four-time SOJC winners, hit back just before halftime when Michael Roden slotted home in the 26th minute to make it 1–1 heading into the break.
The third quarter was a battle of missed opportunities from both sides. India reclaimed the lead in the 45th minute through a penalty corner expertly converted by captain Rohit, who was later named Man of the Match.
However, the celebration was short-lived — just a minute later, Kaden Draysey equalized for Great Britain from a penalty stroke, levelling the contest once again at 2–2.
As the match entered its final phase, Rohit once again rose to the occasion. In the 52nd minute, he struck another penalty corner goal, sealing a 3–2 victory and ensuring India a winning start to their SOJC 2025 campaign.
India’s head coach PR Sreejesh, in his post-match comments, praised his team’s perseverance while admitting there was still room for improvement in finishing.
“It was a good game, but we missed too many opportunities — that’s a big concern,” said Sreejesh. “When you play a top-level tournament like this, it’s important to take your chances. But the players are slowly finding their rhythm after a long break, and I’m happy with the fighting spirit they showed. Rohit stepped up at the right moment to lead the team.”
Meanwhile, Great Britain’s coach Jon Bleby acknowledged his team’s strong effort but lamented their inefficiency during set-piece situations.
“It was a really good game from both sides,” Bleby said. “We had plenty of chances and several penalty corners, but our execution wasn’t good enough. As the game went on, fatigue crept in and we gave the ball away too easily. It was a tight contest decided by fine margins.”
India will look to maintain their momentum when they face New Zealand tomorrow, while Great Britain will aim to bounce back in their next match against Pakistan.
The Sultan of Johor Cup 2025 continues this weekend with more high-octane clashes as the world’s best junior hockey nations battle for supremacy in Johor Bahru.
Credit Photo : Jayden Seah/SNE Sports
