Indian midfielder Manpreet Singh has been ruled out of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 after sustaining a calf injury during a training session. Fellow playmaker Vivek Sagar Prasad has been named as his replacement in the Indian squad.
The development was confirmed by India captain Harmanpreet Singh during the captains’ press conference involving all six participating teams in Jalandhar on Monday.
Manpreet was on the verge of creating a new record by becoming the first player in Asia to feature in eight editions of the Asian Champions Trophy. The tournament, now set to enter its ninth edition, holds special significance for the experienced midfielder, who made his debut in the inaugural edition in China in 2011.
His injury comes as a setback for the Indian team, which will now have to make do without one of its most experienced midfielders as it prepares for the continental competition.
