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India men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh said the side is determined to end the country's 51-year wait for the FIH Hockey World Cup title, insisting that the team is ready to give its all in the tournament.
Speaking to JioStar, Harmanpreet said the World Cup presents a major opportunity for the team, especially with several senior players in the squad. "The World Cup means a lot to all of us because after this World Cup, you never know what might happen. There are several senior players in the team as well, so for us, this is a great opportunity," Harmanpreet said. The captain said the team's hard work and preparations have given them confidence that they can challenge for the title, while their back-to-back Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris have provided additional motivation. "We believe that we can definitely do this. And that's our only aim, to give our best and win a medal. Of course, winning back-to-back medals in Tokyo and Paris has definitely been a very motivating factor for us," he added. Harmanpreet also embraced India's underdog tag, saying the team wants to use the opportunity to show its capabilities on the biggest stage. "We are here as underdogs. We believe this is the right situation for us to show everyone what India can do and what capability India has. The hope is to bring the trophy home," he said, while speaking to JioStar. Acknowledging that the journey would be challenging, Harmanpreet stressed the importance of team unity and a positive mindset. "It's easy to say, and the journey will be tough and rough, but we are ready. The team trusts one another and our mindset is positive. Who scores or who defends doesn't matter, as long as we win as a team. We will go all out," he said. Harmanpreet also identified defence as India's top priority, saying a strong defensive structure would be crucial to their campaign. "Our first priority will be defence. If we defend well throughout the tournament, we will be close to achieving what we have come here for. We have practised really well in that area," he said. He added that the team has worked extensively on different defensive structures, including full press, half-court and low press, through individual meetings and team discussions. Harmanpreet further highlighted the importance of converting opportunities in the opposition's circle, saying India's ability to handle pressure and create outcomes from 50-50 chances could prove decisive. "Because when you defend well, situations will arise to consistently enter the opponent's D. So, how to convert those 50-50 chances, how to do the receiving well under pressure, how to smartly produce an outcome in the D, whether it's a shot on goal or earning a penalty corner, those things will be critical," he said. India was drawn in Pool D along with England, Wales and arch-rivals Pakistan. Having won the 1975 edition by beating Pakistan 2-1 in the final, the World Cup glory has eluded India for the last 50 years. Having registered a ninth-place finish in the 2023 edition held at Bhubaneswar, India will be aiming to bring the gold home, riding on the back of the momentum of two back-to-back Olympic bronze medals, an Asia Cup title win, two Asian Champions Trophy wins and an Asia Cup gold. (ANI)
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