CWG 2022: "We are focusing on the group stage and not thinking about Australia now" - Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh ahead of Commonwealth Games

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The Indian men's hockey team before their departure for the CWG 2022. (PC: Hockey India)

As the Indian men's hockey team embark on another quadrennial event - Commonwealth Games 2022 (CWG 2022) - skipper Manpreet Singh and chief coach Graham Reid exuded confidence in the team's preparations for the mega-event.

The duo opined that the burden of expectations will not add any pressure and will look to return with a medal from CWG 2022. The Manpreet Singh-led team will commence their CWG 2022 campaign against Ghana on July 31.

Read: India at CWG 2022: Full list of Indian athletes who have qualified for Commonwealth Games 2022 (Updated)

The skipper, in a virtual interaction from Birmingham, stated that the team had learned harsh lessons from the 2018 campaign. He said:

"We did not win a medal in the last edition, which we should have. Last time, we underestimated the other teams. It was a big mistake and it hurt us a lot. We have learned our lessons from that. We are taking every team seriously."

There has been a lot of chatter about India having the ability to displace six-time champions Australia to win the gold medal. However, the skipper stated that his team is not looking too far ahead with respect to an India vs Australia match. He said:

''We are focusing on group stage matches and not thinking about Australia at all. Everyone is of the opinion that we give our best in these matches and then think about what Australia has to offer when we face them."

The captain also stressed the team is focused on winning a medal in Birmingham and is leaving no stone unturned in their quest to win one. He opined:

"As a team, we have set a goal to win a medal in Birmingham and we can feel the weight of expectations as well. However, in order to reach that stage, we have to give our absolute best in each game and not take any opposition lightly."

Coach Reid not too concerned about fans' expectations ahead of CWG 2022

Indian men's hockey team chief coach Graham Reid explained the team isn't bogged down by the huge expectations from fans ahead of CWG 2022. He added that the focus will be on the team's strengths and not worrying too much about external pressure. Reid said:

"I must say, I don't think that anyone’s expectations of us are more than that of our own expectations. We have high expectations of what we expect from ourselves and also from each other. So we are not weighed down by these expectations."

He added:

"We have great expectations from each other in Birmingham. Yes, there will be huge expectations from the Indian fans as well, wanting us to win a medal. But these are external pressures and we cannot do much about it. We can only control what is within our grasp."

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