Hockey World Cup 2023: India kicks off campaign vs Spain, eyes maiden podium finish in 48 years
Hockey World Cup 2023 gets underway from Friday in Odisha. India sets the ball rolling against Spain in Rourkela, as the hosts will be eyeing a podium finish for the first time in 48 years.
FollowA historic bronze medal in the 2022 Tokyo Olympics bringing it back among the international elite, India will seek its first podium finish in 48 years in the 2023 FIH Men's Hockey World Cup as it begins its campaign against Spain in a tough match at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Friday. A medal in this showpiece will strengthen the claim that the former giants of the game with eight Olympic gold have turned the corner in world hockey. The country won a bronze in the inaugural tournament in 1971 and clinched a silver in the next edition in 1973. Ajit Pal Singh led the side to a title triumph in 1975, but since then, they have not even reached the semi-finals.
From 1978 to 2014, India toiled to go past the group stage. The Indian team, no doubt, would be one of the medal contenders, with the talented bunch led by Harmanpreet Singh emerging as a force to reckon with. The team has earned respect from other top countries in recent times.
Currently ranked sixth in the world, India has come into the tournament after an impressive show against the world number one side Australia in an away five-match series though it lost the rubber 1-4. Graham Reid's side matched the Australians, one of the favourites to win the HWC, in most departments of the game, notching up its first win in six years against its formidable opponents.
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In the previous edition, also held in Bhubaneswar, India had exited at the quarterfinal stage after losing to the Netherlands, the eventual runners-up, and they would be looking to reach at least the semi-finals this time. India has also finished third in the 2021-22 FIH Hockey Pro League. The confidence and the winning mentality are back with the team.
Since Reid took over the head coach's position in 2019, India's stature has grown. He has been able to get the best out of the players, injecting a tactical discipline into its trademark skilful, fluid playing style, making it a respected and feared team in equal measure. "We focussed mainly on scenarios in our training, what if we are 0-1 down, what if we are playing with ten men, what if they take their keeper off? Those types of scenarios are important that we have dealt with," Reid said.
Captain and FIH Player of the Year Harmanpreet Singh, a fabulous defender and one of the best drag flickers in the game, will be critical to India's success. At the same time, veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, mid-field ace Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh, and striker Mandeep Singh can bring about game-changing moments.
Defender Amit Rohidas, who has captained the team in the past and takes penalty corners, and forward Akashdeep Singh will be among the other Indian players to watch out for. Reid said he wants to take some pressure off captain Harmanpreet, a defensive bulwark. India will likely begin with a win, as that can help them top Pool D for a direct quarterfinal berth and avoid playing cross-over matches (meant for second and third-place teams of each of the four pools).
Qualifying for the quarterfinals through cross-over matches could lead to facing stronger teams in the last-eight stage, like defending champion Belgium. "It's an adage that the first game is the most important, so we focus on that and then take it forward. That's how we are approaching," Reid said. Spain has never been an easy opponent for India, and the European side, ranked eighth in the world, will remain the same on Friday, though it is one of the youngest teams in the tournament.
Though without a title, Spain is always tricky as it can beat any team on its day. It had finished runner-up in 1971 and 1998 while taking the bronze medal in 2006. Coached by former Argentine international Max Caldas and captained by Alvaro Iglesias, its most experienced player, the Spanish team had the upper hand in the ongoing Pro League season matches in Bhubaneswar in October-November last year.
It had won the first match 3-2, while India took the second in the penalty shootout after the two sides were locked 2-2. It was even stevens in February's two matches of the 2021-22 Pro League season last year. Spain had won 5-3 in the first match, while India took the second match 5-4.
Historically, there is little difference between the two sides as India had won 13 of the 30 matches it had played against each other since 1948 (when India won 2-0 in the London Olympics). Spain has won 11 times while six games were drawn affairs. "Most of us [90 per cent] are playing our first World Cup. That does not mean we are going to be afraid of our opponents. We are going to be the way we are, and we are ready," Alvaro said.
Alvaro said about the Pro League matches in October-November last year, "They were perfect hockey matches. That means a lot, and much of Friday will be more or less the same." The privilege to play the first international match at the brand new and 21,000 capacity Birsa Munda Stadium -- which the Odisha government claimed to be the largest in the world in terms of spectator attendance -- will, however, go to England and neighbouring Wales, which clash against each other in the first match of Pool D, two hours earlier than India vs Spain game.
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The tournament opener will be played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar -- which will become the first venue to host back-to-back World Cups -- between Argentina and South Africa in Pool A. Title contender Australia faces France in another Pool A match later in the day at Kalinga Stadium.
Defending champion and another title-favourite Belgium begin its campaign on Saturday against South Korea in Pool B at the Kalinga Stadium, which will host 24 matches of the tournament, including the semi-finals and the final. The remaining 20 contests will be held at the Birsa Munda stadium.
Squads
India: Abhishek, Surender Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (c), Lalit Upadhyay, Krishan Pathak, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, PR Sreejesh (gk), Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Varun Kumar, Akashdeep Singh, Amit Rohidas (vc), Vivek Sagar Prasad and Sukhjeet Singh.
Spain: Andreas Rafi, Alejandro Alonso, Cesar Curiel, Xavi Gispert, Borja Lacalle, lvaro Iglesias, Ignacio Rodr guez, Enrique Gonzalez, Gerard Clapes, Andreas Rafi, Jordi Bonastre, Joaquin Menini, Mario Garin, Marc Reyne, Marc Miralles, Pepe Cunill, Marc Recasens, Pau Cunill and Marc Vizcaino.
Match details
Date and day: January 13, 2023 (Friday)
Venue: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, Rourkela
Time: 7 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports Select 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
(With inputs from PTI)
