<p>Bengaluru: The Indian men’s hockey team is set to embark on its first international assignment of the season as the FIH Pro League kicks off today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. </p><p>With the national team members returning to their Indian jerseys after representing various franchises in the Hockey India League, the squad has regrouped and is eager to begin what promises to be a crucial year.</p><p>Captain Harmanpreet Singh fully understands the weight of the season, sandwiched between two major years -- 2024, when India secured a second consecutive Olympic bronze in Paris, and 2026, which will feature both the World Cup and the Asian Games. </p>.'Want to achieve Hockey World Cup medal in my career': Harmanpreet Singh.<p>“Of course, next year will be pretty important for us,” Harmanpreet told DH. “So this year becomes important too because our aim is to win the Pro League to directly qualify for the World Cup. That will give us enough time to solely focus and prepare for such a big event next year. Even if there are a few ups and downs in between, we can manage better knowing that we have qualified,” said the 29-year-old.</p><p>In the previous edition of the Pro League, the Indian men’s team registered five wins, six draws, and five losses from 16 matches, finishing seventh out of nine participating nations. Now ranked fifth in the world, India are set to play two matches each against Spain (world No. 8), followed by encounters with Germany (No. 4), Ireland (No. 10), and England (No. 2) over the next 10 days.</p><p>With the team’s performance steadily improving in recent years, expectations have soared, and the pressure to deliver consistently has intensified. However, the squad is prepared to take on this challenge, with Harmanpreet -- who recently received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna -- leading from the front. </p>.<p>“We have worked on some areas that we needed to strengthen. The strikers have had good sessions too. We hope to start the first match with the same kind of energy and confidence we left off last season.”</p><p>In addition to focusing on immediate results, Indian hockey’s long-term future is also being considered, with a few promising juniors set to make their senior team debuts. Defender Yashdeep Siwach, midfielder Rajinder Singh and forward Arshdeep Singh will step onto the international stage for the first time, and their smooth transition into the senior setup will have to be overseen by Harmanpreet and other experienced players. </p><p>“It is our responsibility to guide them well and make them aware of the structure and intensity followed by the senior team. Most of them are coming here after playing in the HIL, so we seniors have seen them perform on a big stage.”</p>.<p>Acknowledging the importance of early chemistry, Harmanpreet emphasised the need to establish a strong team dynamic from the outset.</p><p>“The team combination that gets set in the initial few matches will be something we will develop on going forward,” he said.</p><p>Once the first leg in Bhubaneswar concludes, India will resume their Pro League campaign in June, when the second half of their eight-match schedule takes place in the Netherlands and Belgium. The winners will be ascertained at the end of that phase, and Harmanpreet & Co are determined to claim the title for the first time.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Indian men’s hockey team is set to embark on its first international assignment of the season as the FIH Pro League kicks off today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. </p><p>With the national team members returning to their Indian jerseys after representing various franchises in the Hockey India League, the squad has regrouped and is eager to begin what promises to be a crucial year.</p><p>Captain Harmanpreet Singh fully understands the weight of the season, sandwiched between two major years -- 2024, when India secured a second consecutive Olympic bronze in Paris, and 2026, which will feature both the World Cup and the Asian Games. </p>.'Want to achieve Hockey World Cup medal in my career': Harmanpreet Singh.<p>“Of course, next year will be pretty important for us,” Harmanpreet told DH. “So this year becomes important too because our aim is to win the Pro League to directly qualify for the World Cup. That will give us enough time to solely focus and prepare for such a big event next year. Even if there are a few ups and downs in between, we can manage better knowing that we have qualified,” said the 29-year-old.</p><p>In the previous edition of the Pro League, the Indian men’s team registered five wins, six draws, and five losses from 16 matches, finishing seventh out of nine participating nations. Now ranked fifth in the world, India are set to play two matches each against Spain (world No. 8), followed by encounters with Germany (No. 4), Ireland (No. 10), and England (No. 2) over the next 10 days.</p><p>With the team’s performance steadily improving in recent years, expectations have soared, and the pressure to deliver consistently has intensified. However, the squad is prepared to take on this challenge, with Harmanpreet -- who recently received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna -- leading from the front. </p>.<p>“We have worked on some areas that we needed to strengthen. The strikers have had good sessions too. We hope to start the first match with the same kind of energy and confidence we left off last season.”</p><p>In addition to focusing on immediate results, Indian hockey’s long-term future is also being considered, with a few promising juniors set to make their senior team debuts. Defender Yashdeep Siwach, midfielder Rajinder Singh and forward Arshdeep Singh will step onto the international stage for the first time, and their smooth transition into the senior setup will have to be overseen by Harmanpreet and other experienced players. </p><p>“It is our responsibility to guide them well and make them aware of the structure and intensity followed by the senior team. Most of them are coming here after playing in the HIL, so we seniors have seen them perform on a big stage.”</p>.<p>Acknowledging the importance of early chemistry, Harmanpreet emphasised the need to establish a strong team dynamic from the outset.</p><p>“The team combination that gets set in the initial few matches will be something we will develop on going forward,” he said.</p><p>Once the first leg in Bhubaneswar concludes, India will resume their Pro League campaign in June, when the second half of their eight-match schedule takes place in the Netherlands and Belgium. The winners will be ascertained at the end of that phase, and Harmanpreet & Co are determined to claim the title for the first time.</p>