With the top-ranked Kookaburras about to defend their World Cup crown in India, Hockey Australia has announced the 27 players that will lead the team towards the 2020 Olympics.

Captain Eddie Ockenden and a fit-again Josh Beltz will be joined by young gun Jack Welch next year although there is no place for Ockenden’s Commonwealth Games-winning teammate Jeremy Edwards.

Welch, 21, who debuted in September’s Darwin International Open and was involved in Australia’s pre-World Cup training camp, joins Mackay’s Jacob Anderson and Wollongong’s Jack Hayes as the three new additions.

Kookaburras coach Colin Batch welcomed Welch to the group and commiserated with 26-year-old defender Edwards for being omitted.

“Jack’s a penalty corner option and comes in with a lot of promise as a striker,” Batch said.

“Jeremy has been with us over the past two years and previously around the Kookaburras scene, so it’s unfortunate that he misses out.

“He’s had a variety of roles, defensive midfield, attacking midfield and also in the back four. It’s one of those hard decisions from a high performance point of view that we’ve opted to go elsewhere.

“We’ve got some younger players who are playing well in his designated positions. He’s achieved a lot with the Kookaburras so we want to wish him well.”

The 14th edition of the World Cup will begin on November 28 in Bhubaneswar, India, after which the Kookaburras will compete in the inaugural FIH Pro League from January to June, followed by the Oceania Cup which is the qualification event for the Tokyo Olympics.

2019 men's squad: Jacob Anderson (QLD), Daniel Beale (QLD), Joshua Beltz (TAS), Tim Brand (NSW), Andrew Charter (ACT), Tom Craig (NSW), Matthew Dawson (NSW), Johan Durst (VIC), Blake Govers (NSW), Jake Harvie (WA), Jack Hayes (NSW), Jeremy Hayward (NT), Tim Howard (QLD), Aaron Kleinschmidt (VIC), Tyler Lovell (WA), Trent Mitton (WA), Edward Ockenden (TAS), Flynn Ogilvie (NSW), Lachlan Sharp (NSW), Josh Simmonds (VIC), Matthew Swann (QLD), Jack Welch (TAS), Corey Weyer (QLD), Jacob Whetton (QLD), Tom Wickham (SA), Dylan Wotherspoon (NSW), Aran Zalewski (WA)