"Try to make every opportunity count" - Indian Men's Hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh hopeful for a podium finish in Summer Olympics 2024
Indian Men's Hockey Team led by Harmanpreet Singh will be in the spotlight at the Paris Olympics 2024. They are one of the contenders to add to the medal tally of the country.
Harmanpreet, in a recent interview with Scroll, expressed his views regarding the pressure of performing Olympics and the recent performance of the team.
“We want to control the play and keep possession of the ball. Rotate the ball and make our opposition work before finding the right moment to try for the goal," said Harmanpreet on the strategy of the team for the Summer Olympics 2024.
“At big events, you try to make every opportunity count. Every team which comes to the Olympics wants to give it their all. In other competitions they might go at 80% but at the Olympics they go to 110%," he added.
Harmanpreet also shared that coach Craig Fulton believes in a procession-based game, and this is what the whole team is taught.
India's strong suit lies in their defense, with Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, and Sanjay at the back. However, a lot of questions have been raised regarding the team's attack. It is not as strong as other teams like Belgium, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands.
Harmanpreet Singh will depend on Abhishek, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, and Mandeep Singh for goals, and the trio needs to have an attacking approach in the game.
Indian Men's Hockey Team won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics and ended 48 years of medal draught for the country.
Schedule for Indian Men's Hockey Team in Summer Olympics 2024
According to the draw, the Indian Men's Hockey Team is part of Group B, and they have Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland in the same group. India are a strong contender to progress to the knockout rounds by finishing the group in the first four positions. The first three fixtures of India will be against New Zealand, Argentina, and Ireland, respectively.
The first three matches will be comparatively an easy contest for Harmanpreet and his men. Fixtures against Belgium and Australia will be the real thriller for the team.
However, Harmanpreet made it clear that the team won't take any opposition lightly.
“We have played with all the teams and we know their strengths and weaknesses," added Harmanpreet.
India's Men Hockey Team has a mountain to climb in the Summer Olympics 2024. They can take motivation from their heroic performance in the previous edition of the Olympics and look forward to finishing the tournament at the podium again.