New Delhi, May 6 -- For Pratap Lakra, the path to the Indian senior men's hockey camp has been anything but linear. The 24-year-old defender from Sundargarh, Odisha, a district known for producing hockey stalwarts, has scripted a powerful comeback story after his career derailed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lakra is only one of the two new faces in the ongoing senior national camp, which is a testament to his grit and resurgence. The call-up follows a standout performance at the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025, where he played a key role in taking Madhya Pradesh to a Silver-medal finish.

"It was not easy to come back after the lockdown," Lakra reflects. "I lost fitness and momentum. For a while, it felt like eve...