Head coach Craig Fulton says team’s focus is on recovering well during Tuesday’s break and stepping on to the field fresh for today’s Super 4 clash
Craig Fulton
Rajgir rolled out its best, cool weather on a day when no match was scheduled in the ongoing Men’s Hockey Asia Cup. After the conclusion of the pool stage a day before, Tuesday was a rest day for all the teams and the sky was not just overcast, but the sports complex here also witnessed intermittent spells of rain.
Super 4, a new tournament
On Wednesday, India, China, Korea and Malaysia will begin their Super 4 campaign, which the coaches are calling a ‘second’ tournament. All four teams play each other once, with the top two going on to play the final. That makes it seven matches in 10 days for the finalists, which can take a toll on teams.
“It’s two tournaments, first the pools and now Super 4. You are going to get three games to get to the final. So that’s a new focus,” said Fulton after India romped to a 15-0 win over Kazakhstan to top Pool A.
India players during their 15-0 win over Kazakhstan in Rajgir, Bihar, on Monday. Pic/PTI
The hosts will take on defending champions Korea first up here at the Rajgir Sports Complex on Wednesday, but the coach was in no hurry to study his next opponents.
“First recover, eat well, sleep well, and then we have a good look at Korea,” the coach added.
The Koreans finished second in Pool B with two wins and a defeat against Malaysia, who are the only other unbeaten team so far other than India. But the title-holders are dogged in character and can surprise their opponents by holding their structure and then thriving on turnovers.
India have relied heavily on Harmanpreet Singh’s drag-flicks in their two close wins, over China (4-3) and Japan (3-2). In fact, the skipper scored five of the seven goals in those two matches.
This brings India’s forwards into focus, especially when finishing off field efforts against better teams remains an issue. In that scenario, the strikers creating penalty corners could be pivotal to India’s chances in the business end of the tournament. But still, India remain firm favourites to enter the final. However, Harmanpreet’s deputy Hardik Singh put things in perspective, given the common notion that India can easily win against any of their Asian opponents.
‘Only two golds in 15 years’
Hardik recalled the last two Asian Champions Trophy finals, where Malaysia (2023) and China (2024) presented a stiff challenge: “We were two goals down against Malaysia [1-3 at half-time] in the ACT final in Chennai. Then, in China last year, we won just 1-0. Also, if you see, in the last 15 years we have won the Asian Games gold only twice.”
Conceding five goals against China and Japan has also put the spotlight on goalkeepers, who are trying to live up to the standards set by the
now-retired PR Sreejesh. Against China, Krishan Pathak conceded all three goals, and though he came up with an improved effort against Japan, he and Suraj Karkera are in for a stiffer test going forward.
The comforting factor for the Super 4 teams is that they won’t play any matches at 1pm and 3pm anymore and will this be spared getting baked under the sun in humid conditions.
India coach Fulton was happy about this too. “I like the lights,” he said with a huge sigh of relief.
Fulton is also hopeful that the game against Kazakhstan gave his players insights into where they lacked and what needs to be done about it.
“The guys are feeling confident,” he added.
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