JOIN USIdeal test for Rio-bound Indians
With a little over eight months left for the Rio Olympic Games, India will get an ideal preparatory exercise as well as a stern test when the FIH Hockey World League Final gets underway here on Friday.
After enduring a forgettable time against higher ranked opponents at the World League semifinals in Belgium -- losing to Australia, Belgium and Great Britain -- the Sardar Singh-led side has come a long way in the past few months.
After the abrupt departure of coach Paul van Ass, they have rallied well, with a 2-1 series win against New Zealand and a spirited display against the Australians in a ‘test’ series raising their morale. And this confidence will be the key as they look to tackle home expectations and a tricky group at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stadium in a tournament that features all the top nations in the world.
“I don’t know if we will get such an opportunity again,” said the Indian skipper Sardar on the eve of their opener against Argentina. “We have all the top teams who will play the Olympics. So every match here will show us where we stand in our preparations for the Rio Games,” he added.
The Hockey World League, a competition that entered the FIH calendar a couple of years ago, is in its second edition and India had finished sixth in the inaugural edition. Bettering that show will be a hard task for the Roelant Oltmans-coached side that has been grouped alongside Olympic gold medallist Germany, defending champions the Netherlands and rising power Argentina.
However, with all the teams advancing into the quarterfinals — the pool games just decide the seeding — a below-par show in the league could see them taking on a strong side from the other group which include world champions Australia, Belgium, Great Britain and Canada.
Playing together for some time now, the Indians have developed a good understanding among themselves. This was evident in their matches against Australia, as the team played like a closely knit unit and didn’t rely on individual brilliance to see them through.
As always, skipper Sardar will play an integral role in the midfield while the attackers will have to step up their pace if they are to break down the tight defences.
In the group stages, Germany and the Netherlands will pose strong threats to India’s aspirations, while the bronze medal winners at the 2014 World Cup, Argentina, are expected to make life difficult for the hosts.
In Group A, reigning world champions Australia are expected to top the charts, while Belgium, who have risen as the new force in modern hockey, and Great Britain are expected to be the foremost challengers.
Last time the Indians played an international tournament on home soil, they suffered a defeat at the hands of arch rivals Pakistan, prompting a few disturbing scenes on the field. With Pakistan not in fray, repeat of such a scenario is unlikely as the Indias look to make the most of this opportunity before heading into the Olympic year.
Factfile
Pool A: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain
Pool B: Germany, India, Netherlands, Argentina
Today's action: Pool B: India vs Argentina (6:30 pm); Germany vs Netherlands (8:30 pm).
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