India males’s hockey staff captain Harmanpreet Singh.
| Picture Credit score: ANI
India males’s hockey staff captain Harmanpreet Singh says his facet’s focus can be on Asian Video games, an Olympic-qualifier, as they embark on the European tour for Professional League matches, beginning Could 26.
The staff left for London on Monday for the primary leg of the European tour the place it can face reigning Olympic champions Belgium (Could 26 and June 2) and hosts Nice Britain (Could 27 and June 3).
They’ll then journey to Eindhoven for his or her final set of matches in opposition to the Netherlands (June 7 and 10) and Argentina (June eight and 11).
India are at the moment main the Professional League desk with 19 factors from eight matches within the nine-team event. United Kingdom too have an an identical variety of factors however are second on the desk on account of an inferior aim distinction.
The skipper stated the matches will play a vital position in India’s preparation for the Asian Video games in September, the place the gold medallist will robotically qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We now have very essential matches arising as we get to the enterprise finish of the Professional League season. We’re in a powerful place within the desk up to now and we are going to look to get as many factors as doable within the remaining matches.
“We’re enthusiastic about this tour because it additionally offers us a fantastic alternative to play in opposition to high quality groups. These matches can be actually necessary for us as we put together for the all-important Asian Video games scheduled later this yr,” stated Harmanpreet earlier than the staff’s departure to London.
India remained unbeaten in opposition to reigning world champions Germany and Australia, which helped them high the factors desk.
This would be the staff’s first outing below new chief coach Craig Fulton.
“We now have had good intensive coaching periods on the nationwide teaching camp in SAI centre, Bengaluru. The preparations have been actually good, and our earlier matches in Rourkela have been an enormous confidence booster for us, so we are going to look to duplicate the efficiency within the upcoming matches,” the skipper stated.
Harmanpreet added the staff will look to construct on the nice work achieved within the house leg to organize for the robust assignments later this yr.
“We are going to go step-by-step, attempt to play good hockey and most significantly look to maintain the momentum going as we have now an extended tour and a busy season forward as effectively.”