New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- Between his senior India debut in 2011 and coming October 27, star playmaker Manpreet Singh played 430 matches, won two Olympic medals and became a three-time Asian Games gold medallist, but never got a chance to play in front of fans in his home state - Punjab. In less than a week, that void will be filled by the Asian Champions Trophy 2026, which will be hosted in Jalandhar and Mohali.

Of the two venues, the one in Jalandhar holds special significance for six members of the Indian squad selected for the tournament: not just will they play at home in Punjab, but also on the same ground where, in Manpreet's words, they "dared to dream big."

Manpreet, captain Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Dilp...