A second-string Indian males’s hockey staff should tactfully take care of the stress when it opens its title protection in opposition to arch-rivals Pakistan within the Asia Cup right here on Monday.
While Pakistan has fielded fairly just a few new faces within the event, India can be represented by its ‘A’ staff underneath the management of veteran Birendra Lakra, who got here out of retirement after the Tokyo Olympics.
For India, the Asia Cup gives a platform to check its bench energy forward of a busy season, that features the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the FIH World Cup subsequent 12 months for which the Tokyo Olympic medalists have already certified because the host nation.
Pakistan, however, is trying on the event to make the lower for the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar. The high three groups in Asia will qualify instantly for the January showpiece.
Both India and Pakistan have gained the Asia Cup thrice every.
India had gained the final version in 2017 by beating Malaysia within the remaining in Dhaka.
India’s 20-member squad, to be coached by former captain Sardar Singh, was initially presupposed to be led by Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Rupinder Pal Singh, who additionally got here out of retirement however a wrist harm dominated him out of the event.
The Indian squad contains one other veteran in SV Sunil, who too returned from retirement and is thought to be a livewire on the sector.
Sunil, who had missed the Tokyo Olympics squad on account of an harm, will function Lakra’s deputy.
The Indian staff has as many as 10 gamers who’re set to make their senior India debuts, together with Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Manjeet, Vishnukant Singh and Uttam Singh. They had been all a part of the junior World Cup.
Besides, the facet additionally has new gamers like Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev and S Karthi and it stays to be seen how Sardar will get the perfect out of those kids.
The new gamers know {that a} good outing within the Asia Cup can open the doorways for the Commonwealth Games staff because the nationwide selectors and chief coach Graham Reid can be intently following the proceedings.
For India, Simranjeet Singh, who was a part of the Tokyo Olympics squad, will make a comeback within the forwardline after a protracted harm lay-off.
But the onus can be on the handful of seniors to information the children within the conflict.
“It (stress) is at all times there (in Pakistan match). Any match in opposition to Pakistan is at all times charged up. But being seniors, if we develop into too excited, the junior gamers can come underneath stress. So we have to take it as a standard match,” India vice-captain Sunil mentioned.
“It isn’t a simple event but when we play in keeping with our plan we will win. We must encourage the children, information them and take them alongside. So there are large obligations on our shoulders.” Pakistan can be approaching the event after a combined bag tour of Europe underneath new coach Siegfried Aikman, the place the staff performed 5 matches — two every in opposition to the Netherlands and Spain and one in opposition to Belgium — out of which it gained two.
With each the groups having kids, it stays to be seen how the gamers management their feelings and tempers on the turf.
After Pakistan, India will play Japan on Tuesday within the second Pool A match and hosts Indonesia on May 26.
Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh are clubbed in Pool B.
In the opposite video games on the opening day, Malaysia will play Oman and South Korea will tackle Bangladesh in Pool B, whereas Japan will face Indonesia in Pool A.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
