India's in-form striker Abhishek remains doubtful for the semifinal against South Korea in the Asian Champions Trophy after sustaining an ankle injury during the warm-up ahead of Sunday's match against Malaysia. Chief coach Craig Fulton on Monday said the team was waiting for an update on the forward's fitness, with very little time left for him to recover before Wednesday's last-four clash in Mohali.
India will face South Korea again after registering a commanding 8-0 victory over the same opponents to maintain their unbeaten run in the tournament. Malaysia and Japan will contest the other semifinal.
Fulton's comments have raised concerns over India's attacking options ahead of the crucial knockout encounter, although skipper Harmanpreet Singh
remains hopeful of Abhishek's return.
Craig Fulton Provides Update On Abhishek's Injury
Speaking after India's emphatic victory, Fulton admitted that Abhishek's availability for the semifinal remains uncertain. The coach stressed that rushing the striker back onto the field could worsen his injury.
"We're not sure yet. We're waiting to find out. He's (Abhishek) injured, so we're seeing if he can make it back. We'll have to wait. The timeline is very short," Fulton said. The Indian Hockey head coach further said that the team does not want to rush the Indian forward to aggravate the situation.
Fulton Pleased With India's Dominant Performance
Despite concerns over Abhishek's fitness, Fulton was delighted with India's performance against South Korea. The hosts dominated proceedings, scoring eight goals while keeping a clean sheet.
"Yeah, it was good. We played well. We played really well. I enjoyed it. Well, we played our style of hockey. We were good on the ball," the coach said. He also highlighted India's effective ball movement and attacking approach, which made it difficult for the opposition to cope with the pressure.
"And when we start to move the ball, transfer the ball, then it's difficult for them. I mean, seven-eight goals. That's a lot of goals. I'm happy," Fulton added. However, the coach warned his players against becoming complacent ahead of the semifinal, stressing that the knockout encounter would bring a different level of pressure.
"Start again. The pressure is different. It will be different. Pressure must be on them. We need a good start. That's our key," he said.
Harmanpreet Singh Hopeful Of Abhishek's Return
India captain Harmanpreet Singh also shared his thoughts on Abhishek's injury, expressing optimism about the striker's availability for Wednesday's match.
"I don't know anything. I think he will be back," Harmanpreet said. The Indian skipper was equally pleased with the team's attacking display against South Korea and emphasised the importance of converting scoring opportunities.
"I am very happy. I think if you are getting opportunities on time and you are scoring, it is definitely an advantage. We are creating opportunities in every match, but sometimes we score and sometimes we don't," he said.
Harmanpreet added that India would approach the semifinal with the same intensity and positive mindset. "We have won the match. Next match is a new day, a new match, a new mindset. We will come with the same attitude," he concluded.
India will now aim to carry its unbeaten momentum into the semifinal, with Abhishek's fitness emerging as a key concern ahead of the crucial encounter.
