Hockey Nationals 2026: Bihar Stun Andhra Pradesh
Bihar鈥檚 Late Comeback, Rajasthan鈥檚 Goal Fest: Day 3 Drama at Hockey Nationals 2026
Jony Kumar鈥檚 hat-trick seals a thrilling 4-3 victory for Bihar, Rajasthan hit six against Gujarat and Mizoram overturn an early deficit to beat Jammu and Kashmir at the Senior Men National Championship in Jhansi.
The Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2026 delivered a dramatic third day on October 12, with five matches across Divisions B and C producing two draws, a hat-trick-inspired comeback and convincing wins for Rajasthan and Mizoram. The standout contest came in Division C, where Bihar (BSSA) edged Andhra Pradesh 4-3 after repeatedly fighting back from behind.
Rajasthan also continued their winning run with a 6-2 victory over Gujarat, while Mizoram recovered from an early setback to defeat Jammu and Kashmir 2-1. In Division B, Kerala and Chhattisgarh shared a 2-2 draw, as did Jharkhand and Telangana, ensuring that the day featured both late goals and hard-earned points.
Jony Kumar鈥檚 Hat-Trick Leads Bihar Past Andhra Pradesh
Bihar produced the day鈥檚 most gripping comeback, defeating Andhra Pradesh 4-3 in a Division C Pool B encounter. Andhra Pradesh had entered the match after an emphatic 8-0 victory over Gujarat on the opening day, but Bihar found a way to turn the contest around through Jony Kumar鈥檚 decisive performance.
Metta Sai Kumar gave Andhra Pradesh the lead with a penalty corner in the 11th minute, before captain Lekkala Hitesh Rao made it 2-0 with a field goal in the 25th. Bihar responded through Jony Kumar鈥檚 penalty corner in the 26th minute, and Md Sidik converted another penalty corner in the 29th to bring Bihar level at 2-2.
The contest remained finely balanced in the second half. Metta Sai Kumar struck again from a penalty corner in the 38th minute to put Andhra Pradesh ahead 3-2. Jony Kumar then scored a field goal in the 43rd minute to restore parity before completing his hat-trick with a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute. His third goal proved decisive as Bihar secured its first win of the championship following a narrow 2-3 defeat to Rajasthan on Day 1.
Rajasthan Hit Six Goals to Beat Gujarat
Rajasthan continued their strong start in Division C with a 6-2 victory over Gujarat, making it two wins from two matches. Gujarat initially threatened to upset the rhythm when Prathambhai Patel scored in the eighth minute, but Rajasthan gradually took control.
Kunal Koundal equalised from a penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Rajasthan then broke the game open in the third quarter, with Pawan Kumar Yadav scoring in the 36th and 39th minutes before Ankit Rawat added another in the 42nd. Rawat struck again in the 48th minute to extend Rajasthan鈥檚 advantage.
Patel scored his second goal for Gujarat in the 54th minute, but Rajasthan had the final say. Rawat completed his hat-trick on the stroke of full time, sealing a convincing win. His three-goal performance helped Rajasthan maintain their unbeaten start and strengthened their position in Pool B.
Mizoram Fight Back to Defeat Jammu and Kashmir
Mizoram secured a valuable 2-1 win over Jammu and Kashmir in Division B Pool A after conceding early. Jammu and Kashmir captain Karanjit Singh put his side ahead in the ninth minute, giving them the initial advantage.
Mizoram responded quickly through Dharmendra Pal, who converted a penalty corner in the 15th minute to level the score. Pal struck again from another penalty corner in the 28th minute, completing the turnaround and putting Mizoram 2-1 ahead.
Mizoram then defended their lead through the remainder of the match to claim their first win after a 2-4 defeat to Himachal on Day 2. Jammu and Kashmir, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of the tournament after opening their campaign with a 6-3 victory over Himachal.
Kerala and Chhattisgarh Share the Points
Division B Pool A produced a 2-2 draw between Kerala and Chhattisgarh. Kerala, coming off a heavy 0-9 defeat to Odisha on Day 2, showed improved resilience to earn a point.
Anoop Kumar Maurya put Kerala ahead with a field goal in the 29th minute. Chhattisgarh captain Sandeep Kumar equalised from a penalty corner in the 45th minute, and Sonu Nishad scored from open play in the 48th to give Chhattisgarh the lead.
Kerala refused to give up. Sandeep Yadav converted a penalty corner in the 59th minute to make it 2-2 and rescue a draw late in the match. The result gave Kerala a much-needed response after its previous defeat.
Telangana Hold Jharkhand in a 1-1 Draw
The other Division B draw came in Pool B, where Telangana and Jharkhand finished 1-1. Dilbar Barla gave Jharkhand the lead with a penalty corner in the 26th minute, putting his team in front for much of the contest.
Telangana captain Shiva Kumar Shivangi secured a share of the points with a penalty-corner goal in the 56th minute. Jharkhand remained unbeaten after their 4-1 win over Goa on Day 2, while Telangana collected their first point after losing to Arunachal on the opening day.
What Day 3 Means for the Hockey Nationals
Day 3 brought contrasting results across the two divisions. Bihar鈥檚 first victory was powered by Jony Kumar鈥檚 hat-trick, Rajasthan maintained their winning momentum with another strong attacking display, and Mizoram bounced back from defeat with a narrow comeback win. The two draws in Division B showed how late penalty corners can change the outcome even when one side has controlled much of the match.
The 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship is being held in Jhansi from October 10 to 21, with 29 teams competing across three divisions. Division B and Division C matches began on October 10, while Division A action is scheduled to begin on October 14. The Division A final is set for October 21.
With the group-stage contests continuing, Bihar, Rajasthan and Mizoram will take confidence from their Day 3 victories, while the teams held to draws will look to turn those points into stronger results in their upcoming fixtures.
