India received a boost ahead of its important FIH Men’s World Cup 2026 Pool D encounter against England, with defender Jugraj Singh recovering from injury and becoming available for Monday’s match.
The 29-year-old missed India’s opening fixture against Wales after suffering a muscle strain. He was not included in the 18-member squad as India began its campaign with a 3-1 victory on Saturday.
Jugraj has since recovered and is ready for the potentially decisive meeting with world No. 2 England, a match that could play a major role in determining the Pool D topper.
“He had a muscle strain, but he is fit now,” a highly-placed official told Sportstar.
Apart from his fitness, Jugraj has also overcome an equipment-related concern ahead of the match. His stick has received clearance from the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Technical Committee after an earlier inspection found that it did not satisfy the required playing conditions.
All players were required to have their sticks checked before the opening World Cup match. The mandatory inspection is designed to ensure equipment is not “unsafe or likely to have a detrimental impact on playing the game.”
According to the source, Jugraj’s stick has now successfully passed the inspection. The earlier stick had not been cleared because of its blade dimensions.
His return gives India another important option in defence as well as from penalty corners. Jugraj serves as an effective back-up to captain Harmanpreet Singh in that department and has established himself as a significant scoring threat from set pieces.
The defender has scored 39 goals in 112 senior international appearances, with 27 of those goals coming from penalty corners. His ability to convert such opportunities could provide India with another attacking weapon against a strong England side.
Jugraj also enters the World Cup after an impressive Hockey India League campaign in 2024-25. He enjoyed a breakthrough season with Rarh Bengal Tigers, scoring 12 goals as the team went on to claim the title.
With both his fitness and stick now cleared, Jugraj will be available for selection as India looks to build on its winning start and strengthen its position in Pool D against England.
