JOIN USIndia have been clubbed along with reigning champions Australia for this summer’s Hockey World Cup at The Hague, Netherlands.
If that was not enough, the 1975 winners, who finished sixth in the just-concluded World League Final at New Delhi, have been grouped alongside rising forces Belgium, England, Spain and Malaysia in Pool A.
Pool B features World League Final winners and hosts The Netherlands and fellow favourites Germany alongwith New Zealand, Korea, Argentina and South Korea.
The pools for the World Cup are based on the current world rankings, which have been updated to include the ranking points earned by the teams that competed in the World League Final.
The results have triggered some changes to the rankings, with Australia regaining the No 1 spot from Germany, who were on top of the table after winning the gold at the London Olympics.
The schedule for the May 31-June 15 quadrennial bash will be announced on January 31.