India will begin their FIH Hockey World Cup campaign against Wales on Saturday, with head coach Craig Fulton insisting that the team will not underestimate their opponents despite entering the contest as favourites.
Fulton said India must respect Wales while remaining disciplined with their own approach, particularly across the four quarters.
“Wales is the complete underdog and that’s what a World Cup is about sometimes. You have got to play to your seeding and every team that’s below you, you have got to concentrate and put full efforts in. We take nothing for granted,” Fulton told PTI.
“We are expecting a tough battle from them. At the same time, we need to put in 100 per cent focus and attention on our game plan and make sure that we have four
consistent quarters of good focus.”
The opening game takes on added importance as India look to collect three points and build momentum in the tournament.
“First match is very important in a tournament like the World Cup. Our emphasis is to make sure that we hit the ground running and are able to get three points convincingly,” Fulton said.
The match also falls on India’s Independence Day, adding an emotional element to the occasion.
“It’s a moment of national pride and we want to make the nation proud on Independence Day and start the tournament well, so it’s a good omen,” Fulton added.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh said India have studied their opponents closely and are confident heading into the opener.
“We have worked really hard for this tournament, having analysed all the teams deeply. We are playing against Wales after a long time but their style remains the same. We had a great training session ahead of the match, so the team is really upbeat,” he said.
Harmanpreet also stressed that India cannot afford to look beyond their opening fixture, including towards a much-anticipated clash against Pakistan.
“We cannot take any team lightly and a good start is important to set the tone. All the three pool matches are important to us as they will help us going ahead in the tournament,” he said.
“We will take one match at a time and make sure that we give our 100 per cent,” he added.
The captain believes India have made significant progress since their bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, particularly in defence and decision-making.
“We have improved a lot since the Paris Olympic bronze medal finish. Defence looks solid and we are now playing smart hockey. How to convert 50-50 chances into 100 is important,” Harmanpreet said.
He acknowledged that mistakes are unavoidable but insisted India must maintain their intensity throughout the game.
“We will make mistakes but we keep talking inside the team that we have to maintain consistency in all the four quarters,” he said.
With India’s hockey legacy providing additional motivation, Harmanpreet is targeting another major medal.
“Our legacy in hockey always motivates us. Just like we ended the wait for an Olympic medal, this time we will leave no stone unturned in the World Cup,” he said.
And with the opener coinciding with Independence Day, the captain signed off with an ambitious message: “Happy Independence Day to the country. We will celebrate together after winning the medal.”
