The Indian men’s hockey team will focus on “gaining momentum” for a busy year ahead when they take on France in the opening match of the FIH Pro League here on Tuesday.
After a stellar 2021, when the men’s hockey team won the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medal after more than four decades, the Manpreet Singh-led team embarked on a new mission with their first opponents in South Africa with hosts and France. ready to do. The year.
The world No. 3 team will play two matches each against South Africa and France and India’s vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh said that they are really excited about the first assignment of 2022.
“We are really excited for our first assignment of 2022. We start our season against two quality sides, so that is a great thing. Our focus is on gaining momentum and moving forward this year step-by-step. Getting off to a positive start. These FIH Hockey Pro League matches will help us prepare for the upcoming major events,” said Harmanpreet.
The last time India met France was during the 2015 Fintro Hockey World League Semi-Final Antwerp, in which the former won the match 3-2.
Harmanpreet said that this match will be challenging for her team. “We haven’t played against France for a long time. They are a really good team and no doubt it will be a challenging match for us.”
“Our focus will be to play good hockey, hone our skills and make the most of our opportunities. We are eagerly waiting for tomorrow’s match. We will definitely give our 100 per cent and hope to start the campaign with a win.”
Manpreet Singh-led India will play against South Africa on 9 February. The last time both the teams faced off was during the final of the FIH Men’s Series Finals Bhubaneswar Odisha 2019, in which India sealed a spot with a 5-1 win. FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier Odisha 2019. The overall head-to-head record visitors holds since 2013, with India winning all three matches.
On facing the world number 10 team, 26-year-old Harmanpreet said, “South Africa are a quality team. They are currently ranked 10th in the world, and are capable of beating any team on any given day, so You just can’t underestimate them. It will definitely be a good challenge for us, and we are really excited to face a good team like South Africa.”
Harmanpreet said that these matches will not only help the team gain experience but will also give them an understanding of where they stand with respect to their game as well as training.
“We have a busy 2022 year, there are many important tournaments to be held in the next 12 months, so we need to make sure we are fully prepared. I think the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021/22 match will not only help us to gain experience but will also give us a sense of where we stand with respect to our game as well as training.
Harmanpreet said, “You see, there is always room for improvement, so apart from executing our skills and plans, our focus will also be on improving our game, and that’s where I think Pro League matches will play an important role.” ” Harmanpreet said.
After a two-day break, India will play France on February 12 and South Africa on February 13.
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