Hockey meets PKL: Gujarat Giants & Indian men's hockey team share field in Bengaluru

Alex is web content writer who is covering various sports, technology in sports and igaming space from 2017.

Published at :August 7, 2025 at 9:34 PM

Modified at :August 7, 2025 at 9:34 PM

Hockey meets PKL: Gujarat Giants & Indian men's hockey team share field in Bengaluru

(Courtesy : Hockey India)

The Indian men’s hockey team and the Gujarat Giants engaged in a spirited cross-training session in Bengaluru.

As part of their pre-season preparations for Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12), Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants had a special interaction with the Indian men’s hockey team at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.

Gujarat Giants players, Himanshu Jaglan, Rakesh, Parteek Dahiya, Nitin Panwar, and V Ajith Kumar, along with the Head Coach Jaivir Sharma, Assistant Coach Varinder Singh Sandhu and Fitness Trainer Abhishek Parihar, drew inspiration from the Indian Team Hockey team and even tried their hand at hockey, while the hockey players experienced kabaddi drills in return.

In what was a cross-learning experience, players and coaches discussed the shared physical and tactical demands of hockey and Kabaddi, including strength, speed, agility, and tactical awareness. The teams also exchanged insights on strength and conditioning, injury prevention, and ways in which training methods from one sport can benefit performance in the other.

Much to everyone’s delight, Indian Men’s Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh and Chief Coach Craig Fulton even tried their hand at raiding.

This entertaining and engaging exchange was full of laughter and camaraderie and brought smiles to the faces of both teams as the hockey team enjoyed the challenge of a new game after an intense training session on the field.

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Both teams are currently preparing for their upcoming challenges: the Indian Men’s Hockey Team for their Australia tour and the Asia Cup, and the Gujarat Giants for PKL 12. The session concluded with an exchange of jerseys as a gesture of mutual respect.

Gujarat Giants, who are currently having their pre-season camp at Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, Bengaluru, will begin their PKL campaign against U Mumba on August 30 in Vizag.

Why did the Gujarat Giants visit the training camp of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team?

As part of their pre-season preparations for Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, Gujarat Giants engaged in a cross-learning session with the Indian Men’s Hockey Team to exchange training insights and build camaraderie.

What activities took place during the interaction of the Gujarat Giants and Indian Men’s Hockey Team?

Players from both teams participated in each other’s drills, kabaddi players tried their hand at hockey, and the hockey team, including captain Harmanpreet Singh, attempted kabaddi raids.

What was the purpose of the cross-training session between Gujarat Giants and Indian Men’s Hockey Team?

The session aimed to explore the shared physical and tactical demands of hockey and kabaddi, such as strength, agility, and injury prevention, while also fostering team spirit and mutual respect.

When and where will Gujarat Giants begin their PKL 12 campaign?

Gujarat Giants will kick off their PKL Season 12 campaign against U Mumba on August 30 in Visakhapatnam (Vizag).

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Alex

Alex graduated in mass communication in 2016 and has been covering global sports for Khel Now since then. He is covering sports tech, igaming, sports betting and casino domain from 2017.