IPOH (MALAYSIA): Runners-up at the last edition, India would look to travel one step more as they begin their campaign within the twenty sixth ruler Azlan Shah Cup with a game against nice Great Britain here tomorrow.
India were runners-up to nine-time champions Australia last year and Harmanpreet Singh compete an important role within the team's success.
Making his senior India team debut at Ipoh last season, Harmanpreet affected one and every one as he attended seasoned defenders Rupinderpal Singh and VR Raghunath to the Champions Trophy in London and so to the Olympics among four months.
India team would be hoping that Harmanpreet are going to be an enormous inspiration to 3 uncrowned players during this tournament.
Like Harmanpreet, midfielder Harpreet Singh, WHO captained the Junior tourney champion facet, and striker Mandeep Singh have within the past attained their senior grade spurs through the ruler Azlan monarch Cup.
Making their maiden journey with the national squad currently ar defender Gurinder Singh and also the eye couple of Sumit and Manpreet Singh Junior.
"The script of Harmanpreet's graduation to the senior team may be a massive inspiration to follow for the children WHO have return here," Oltmans aforementioned on the eve of India's gap fixture against nice Great Britain.
"We even have several experienced players WHO kind the core of the squad and make sure that the children don't return underneath intense pressure. We'll be making an attempt out new mixtures and formations as we tend to begin the year that results in vital tournaments just like the Asia Cup and also the World League Finals," aforementioned Oltmans.
Having climbed to No. half-dozen within the world rankings, Asian country come in the ruler Azlan monarch Cup to arrange a team that may provide a formidable performance at the planet League Semifinals in London in June.
Oltmans and also the support workers are going to be observing the players' performances closely here and see that of them will last the course till the planet Cup next year, which can additionally witness India that includes within the Commonwealth Games and also the Asian Games.
A triple-crown defence of the Asian Games title will book India a price tag to the Yeddo Olympics in 2020.
The senior members of the squad ar aware that they too ar underneath scrutiny because the four-year cycle to the 2020 Olympics starts.
"Starting a very important season within the new four-year Olympic cycle, we tend to ar among the groups in transition," aforementioned Oltmans. "It may be a challenge that may facilitate U.S.A. assess wherever we tend to stand at the beginning of the year full of exciting hockey competitions."
Five-time winners of the ruler Azlan monarch Cup, India ar the second highest-ranked team during this six-nation event wherever world No. two Australia can launch the defence of their title against archipelago rivals New Zealand.
India's schedule:
April 29: vs Great Britain
April 30: vs New Zealand