~The 22-year-old forward reached the final of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025-26 with Ranchi Royals~
Rourkela, February 9, 2026: After making a strong return from injury through an impressive campaign in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL), one of India’s emerging and most promising forwards, Araijeet Singh Hundal, will feature for the Indian Men’s Hockey Team in the upcoming FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 matches from February 10 to 15 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha. The Rourkela leg of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-2026 starts on February 10 with Belgium playing Argentina at 7:30 PM IST while India will play their first match against Belgium on February 11.
Araijeet entered the Hero HIL season after recovering from an injury in training that forced him to miss the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 where hosts India won the bronze medal. Reflecting on his recovery and return, the young forward said: “Missing the Junior World Cup due to my injury was very difficult for me mentally. The doctors suggested surgery, but I believed in my recovery and decided not to go for it. I focused completely on my rehabilitation and exercises, and above all it was about mentality. It was clear that I wanted to come back stronger and I recovered quite quickly, just in time for the Hero HIL season.”
Araijeet enjoyed a productive Hero HIL campaign with Ranchi Royals, scoring three goals during the tournament, including one in the final, as his side finished second. The forward credited the league with helping him regain momentum and confidence after time away from the field. “The Hero HIL season was very good for me, much better than last year. I initially needed two or three matches to settle down and boost my confidence, but then I got my momentum and kept going. Reaching the finals with Ranchi Royals was a big thing for us and I really enjoyed the tournament. There were senior players and foreign players in our team and I learned a lot from them. Watching how they prepare and how they make decisions under pressure situations has helped me improve my game improve,” he said.
Araijeet also highlighted the key lessons learned from playing alongside veteran striker Mandeep Singh in Ranchi Royals, with whom he will once again be part of India’s forward line in the FIH Pro League. Sharing his thoughts on the same, he said, “Playing with Mandeep bhai is always very useful. He has been performing at the highest level for many years and if we make a tactical or technical mistake, we can approach him for advice. He explains things very clearly: what to do and what to avoid. He is calm, approachable and always willing to help the juniors, which makes it much easier for us to learn and improve.”
During the Rourkela stage, host country India will take on international heavyweights Argentina and Belgium. As India prepared for the home series of the FIH Men’s Pro League, Araijeet expressed confidence in his training under head coach Craig Fulton, saying: “Our training has been very productive and the intensity has been excellent. This is a great opportunity for me to prove myself at senior level. Craig Fulton has given me clear guidance as a striker, especially in terms of improving my awareness and decision-making inside the circle. I have noted those points down, and before every match I make sure I review them and incorporate them into my game apply.”
Looking ahead, the forward also shared his goals and focus areas in the upcoming matches, saying: “Right now I am focusing on two important areas. Firstly, when I have the ball in the circle, I want to avoid careless mistakes and try to create an active scoring opportunity or win a penalty corner for the team. Secondly, my discipline off the ball is to stay alert, maintain my positioning and execute my role within the team structure.”