Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh has emphasized the need to move on from the euphoria of their Olympic bronze medal triumph and focus on retaining their Asian Champions Trophy title in Hulunbuir, China.
Under Harmanpreet’s leadership, India secured a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in Paris, a feat not achieved in over half a century. However, the skipper believes it’s time to turn the page and prepare for the Asian showpiece, which will be held from September 8 to 17.
“With a brief break after the Paris Olympics, the team is ready to take on the best hockey playing nations in Asia and prove its mettle,” Harmanpreet said. “We had a good outing in Paris, but hockey is a very close game, we cannot rest on our laurels.”
India will face stiff competition from Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan, and hosts China in the Asian Champions Trophy. The team will begin their campaign against China on September 8, followed by a match against Japan on September 9.
After a one-day break, India will take on Malaysia on September 11, followed by Korea on September 12 and arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals slated for September 16, with the final scheduled for September 17.
India are the most successful team in the tournament with four titles, followed by Pakistan (3). India won the last edition in Chennai, beating Malaysia 4-3 in the final.
Vice captain Vivek Sagar Prasad expressed confidence in the team’s ability to defend their title, despite the presence of a few new players. “We will do our best to create a nurturing environment for them on the way to our title defense,” he said.
