"Defend to win, score through counterattacks" - Indian Hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh looks to replicate Asian Games tactics at Paris Olympics 2024

Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh is keen to replicate Asian Games 2023 tactics in the forthcoming Paris Olympics 2024, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11.

The Indian team had impressive results at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, courtesy of head coach Craig Fulton’s game plan of defending to win and hunting for goals on the counterattack, thus conceding fewer penalty corners.

Indian men's team bagged gold at the Asian Games 2023 after their 5-1 win over Japan in the final. The Harmanpreet Singh-led side would be aiming to repeat the tactics used in the Asian Games at the Paris Olympics 2024.

"Our motto under Fulton has been 'defend to win.' The system of defending and scoring through counterattacks worked for us during the Asian Games and we will continue to rely on the same tactics," Harmanpreet Singh told TOI.

"Conceding too many penalty corners is dangerous for any team due to the emergence of drag-flick specialists in world hockey. The team has been training to shore up our penalty corner defence and sharpen our attack with variations while also analysing the routines of our opponents to give us an advantage over other teams in penalty corners," he added.

After a gap of 41 years, the Indian hockey team bagged an Olympic medal (bronze) at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

During the recent Australia series and FIH Pro League 2023-24, India conceded too many penalty corners to give an advantage to the opponents at crucial moments. However, head coach Fulton has said the team has been extensively working in that aspect.

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“Any team in the Olympics can beat the other on its day” - Harmanpreet Singh

Harmanpreet Singh said Pool B has some exceptional teams but India would be focussing on one game at a time. He added that since winning a bronze medal in Tokyo, the team has been aiming to change the color of the medal in Paris.

"Pool B has some formidable teams but we would like to focus on ourselves rather than worry about the opposition. We will take it one game at a time. Ever since our bronze medal in Tokyo, we have dreamed of changing the colour of the medal in Paris. We will enter the tournament with this mindset. We know the competition will be fierce,” he said in the same interview.

"Any team in the Olympics can beat the other on its day. We have improved as a team in this Olympic cycle and we also have fresh talent emerging over the last two-three years. We have a very balanced team with the experience of playing in high stakes matches. We are excited and eager to begin the campaign," Harmanpreet Singh concluded.

The Indian team is placed in the group of death, Pool B. They will initiate their Paris Olympics 2024 campaign with a match against New Zealand on July 27. They will take on Argentina on July 29, Ireland on July 30, and Belgium on August 1. The final group stage encounter will be against Australia on August 2.

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