'Worked On Every Aspect of Game That Needed Improvement': Krishan Pathak Eyes Winning Return In Asian Champions Trophy

Back in the mix after a nine-month absence, Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak says he has worked on every aspect of his game that needed improvement ahead of the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy.

The 29-year-old last played for India on the tour of South Africa in December 2025. He was dropped from the squad alongside two other players for alleged indiscipline during the South Africa series.

Pathak said he fine-tuned his goalkeeping skills in Bengaluru during this time, working hard for a return to the national colours.

Pathak was named in India's 18-member squad, replacing Mohith HS, for the October 27 to November 5 tournament to be held in Jalandhar and Mohali.

The venue in Jalandhar – Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium – is also home to the Surjit Hockey Academy where Pathak grew up learning the sport.

"What makes the occasion even bigger for me and others from the Surjit Hockey Academy is that we will be playing at the same ground where we learned the sport for seven years," said Pathak in a press release issued by Hockey India.

"I don't think there can be anything bigger than that."

Pathak, who has played 156 international games, was an understudy of the legendary PR Sreejesh who retired after the 2024 Paris Olympics.

He now wants to make all his experience count, having worked on areas he needed to improve during his time with India's development team in Bengaluru.

He also travelled with the team to the FIH World Cup in Netherlands and Belgium as a non-playing member before the Asian Games.

"Whatever the coach told me in terms of improvement, I was working on that while here in Bengaluru with the development team. I believe I have done that and am now focused on this opportunity at the Asian Champions Trophy," said Pathak.

"We (the development team) played matches against the Karnataka senior national team in Bengaluru. But besides the matches and team training, we did extra goalkeeping sessions so that I keep working on the things that I was told to improve upon," he added.

Defending champions India will begin the tournament against Bangladesh on October 27, followed by matches against China on October 29, Japan on October 30, Malaysia on November 1 and South Korea on November 2.

All league-stage matches will be played in Jalandhar from October 27 to November 2, while Mohali will host the semi-finals and the medal matches on November 4 and 5.

India enter the tournament as the most successful team with five titles – 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners), 2023 and 2024.