India's Vivek named 2019's rising star of international men's hockey

The Indian men's team mid-fielder Vivek Sagar Prasad was on Monday named as 2019's rising star of the year by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The 19-year-old Vivek won the accolade ahead of Argentina's Maico Casella and Blake Govers of Australia, who finished second and third respectively.

Vivek polled 50 per cent of all National Association votes, 23 per cent media votes, 15.1 per cent fans/players votes for a combination of 34.5 per cent votes.

Casella polled a combined 22 per cent votes, while third placed Govers got 20.9 per cent combined votes.

When he was just 17, Vivek became the second youngest player ever to represent the India national team, in a Four-Nation Invitational tournament in January, 2018. Since then he has appeared for the senior side on more than 50 occasions.

Vivek was also part of the Indian team that won a silver at the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, losing on shoot-out to Korea in the final.

He was also a member of the Indian team's two most important