FIH Pro League: India gearing up to face France, South Africa
The Indian men's hockey team will commence their FIH Hockey Pro League 2021-22 campaign on February 8. The Indian team will take on South Africa and France in the opening matches of the Hockey Pro League in Potchefstroom.
The Hockey Pro League will serve as a practice ground for the Indian team. It will allow them to get into the groove ahead of an all-important 2022 season that includes the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
The Indian team, ranked third in the world, will play two matches apiece against both South Africa and France on the tour.
India, led by Manpreet Singh, will play their first match against France on February 8.
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Speaking about the FIH Hockey Pro League, Indian team vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh exuded confidence in India's preparations. He hoped the league would help India gain the required momentum.
"We are really excited for our first assignment of 2022," he said. "We begin our season against two quality sides, so it's a great thing. Our focus is to gain momentum and make a positive start as we approach this year step-by-step. These FIH Hockey Pro League matches will certainly help us prepare for the forthcoming major events," Harmanpreet Singh added.
Indian hockey team ready to face France
India will play their first match of the FIH Pro League against France. The last time India and France played against each other was in 2015. The teams played in the Hockey World League semi-final in Antwerp. India got the better of France on that occasion, winning, 3-2.
On the eve of the India vs France match, Harmanpreet Singh said the team is looking forward to the French challenge.
"We haven't played against France in a long time," he said. They are a really good side, and, no doubt, it will be a challenging match for us. Our focus will remain on playing good hockey, executing our skills, and making the best out of our opportunities. We will definitely give our 100%, and hopefully, start the campaign with a win," he added.
After the match against France, India will meet South Africa on February 10. The last time India played South Africa was in the final of the FIH Men's Series in Bhubaneswar in 2019. India went on to win 5-1 and seal a spot in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2019.
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Harmanpreet Singh added that the matches against France and South Africa will not only help India gain experience, but will also give them an understanding of where they stand.
"We have a busy 2022 year, with a lot of important tournaments lined up in the next 12 months, so we need to ensure that we are fully prepared," Harmanpreet said. "I think the FIH Hockey Pro League will not only help us gain experience but will also give us an understanding of where we stand with regards to our game as well as training."
He added:
"There's always room for improvement, so apart from executing our skills and plans, our focus will also remain on improving our game, and that's where I think Pro League matches will play a vital role," Harmanpreet Singh added.
When and where to watch Hockey Pro League
The Indian team will play France for the second time on February 12 and will take on South Africa the next day - February 13.
Both matches commence at 2130hrs IST.
The matches will be telecast live on Star Sports Select 2 and Star Sports Select 2 HD. Live streaming of the matches will also be shown on Hotstar.