<p>As the countdown for the February 28-March 13 mega-event started, India captain Rajpal Singh and his fellow colleagues said the team was working hard to improve upon their 11th place finish in the last edition of the tournament.<br /><br />"We are eyeing a semifinal spot. From there anything can happen. We are training hard and have adopted some European tactics without leaving our traditional style," Rajpal told reporters at a felicitation function here last night.<br /><br />"We have the home advantage on our side. A little bit of pressure will be there but it should work as a positive factor."<br /><br />Downplaying the hype over his side's opening match against arch-rivals Pakistan, Rajpal pinpointed Australia and Germany as the two teams to watch out for in the tournament.<br /><br />"It is good that India and Pakistan are playing the first match. Apart from Germany, I feel Australia is the toughest side in the tournament. It is good that we will face Australia in the pool and not in the semifinal," he said. <br /><br />Rajpal also welcomed the presence of three drag-flickers -- Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram and Dhananjay Mahadik -- in the side.<br /><br />"It is for the first time we have three flickers in the team and they are capable of changing the course of any match."<br /><br />For senior striker Arjun Halappa the World Cup comes with an added motivation to perform at the big stage.<br /><br />"I don't know whether I will be playing next World Cup or not. I am not sure how long I will carry on playing hockey. So, personally this World Cup is very important for me.<br />"The tournament is also very important for the future of the players and Indian hockey," said the 29-year-old Bangalorean, who played in the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World but missed the next edition four years later in Germany.<br /><br />"As a player I think the first match is crucial for us. It will set the tone for the entire tournament. Personally, I feel we should make the semifinals," Halappa said.<br />"We are working hard on attack as well as defence. The coordination between attackers and defenders is the key to success in modern day hockey," he said. <br /><br />Senior player Prabhjot Singh said being a senior member of the side there is extra burden on his shoulders.<br /><br />"There is more responsibility on my shoulders. I have a role to play in the team and I will give my best.<br /><br />"I have been in the team for a long time and playing the World Cup at home will be a different experience. All the matches are important for us. We will take one match at a time and hope to make it to the semifinals," he said.<br /><br />Former captain Sandeep Singh was of the view that the World Cup brings with it the biggest opportunity to revive the national game's sagging fortune.<br /><br />"We will definitely better our last World Cup performance. The entire team is confident about a good result. Not just ours, Indian hockey's future rests highly on this World Cup," the ace drag-flicker said.</p>
<p>As the countdown for the February 28-March 13 mega-event started, India captain Rajpal Singh and his fellow colleagues said the team was working hard to improve upon their 11th place finish in the last edition of the tournament.<br /><br />"We are eyeing a semifinal spot. From there anything can happen. We are training hard and have adopted some European tactics without leaving our traditional style," Rajpal told reporters at a felicitation function here last night.<br /><br />"We have the home advantage on our side. A little bit of pressure will be there but it should work as a positive factor."<br /><br />Downplaying the hype over his side's opening match against arch-rivals Pakistan, Rajpal pinpointed Australia and Germany as the two teams to watch out for in the tournament.<br /><br />"It is good that India and Pakistan are playing the first match. Apart from Germany, I feel Australia is the toughest side in the tournament. It is good that we will face Australia in the pool and not in the semifinal," he said. <br /><br />Rajpal also welcomed the presence of three drag-flickers -- Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram and Dhananjay Mahadik -- in the side.<br /><br />"It is for the first time we have three flickers in the team and they are capable of changing the course of any match."<br /><br />For senior striker Arjun Halappa the World Cup comes with an added motivation to perform at the big stage.<br /><br />"I don't know whether I will be playing next World Cup or not. I am not sure how long I will carry on playing hockey. So, personally this World Cup is very important for me.<br />"The tournament is also very important for the future of the players and Indian hockey," said the 29-year-old Bangalorean, who played in the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World but missed the next edition four years later in Germany.<br /><br />"As a player I think the first match is crucial for us. It will set the tone for the entire tournament. Personally, I feel we should make the semifinals," Halappa said.<br />"We are working hard on attack as well as defence. The coordination between attackers and defenders is the key to success in modern day hockey," he said. <br /><br />Senior player Prabhjot Singh said being a senior member of the side there is extra burden on his shoulders.<br /><br />"There is more responsibility on my shoulders. I have a role to play in the team and I will give my best.<br /><br />"I have been in the team for a long time and playing the World Cup at home will be a different experience. All the matches are important for us. We will take one match at a time and hope to make it to the semifinals," he said.<br /><br />Former captain Sandeep Singh was of the view that the World Cup brings with it the biggest opportunity to revive the national game's sagging fortune.<br /><br />"We will definitely better our last World Cup performance. The entire team is confident about a good result. Not just ours, Indian hockey's future rests highly on this World Cup," the ace drag-flicker said.</p>
