New Delhi: As international hockey returns to the capital city of Delhi and Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, the Indian coach Craig Fulton is excited to look at his young guns who will get a chance to play in the test series against Germany.
Apart from the return of international hockey to Delhi, it carries a special connection for coach Fulton who made his debut as a 21-year-old at the 1995 Indira Gandhi Gold Cup at the same stadium.
Talking about his return, Fulton said,” It’s a special feeling to be back at this iconic venue, where my international journey began nearly three decades ago. To return here, but this time as the coach of the Indian national team is truly remarkable. Playing a series against a top team like Germany in front of passionate home fans adds to the significance of the occasion.”
India will be up against a young German side who have decided to rest most of the players from the Olympic silver medal-winning squad.
Talking about the opposition, Craig said, “From the point of view of an opposition, Germany poses a lot of threats, they are very good tactically, they are good in man-to-man marking. So, our strategy will have to adapt. You know you can play one way for 10 minutes and then a different way. They are a good team, smart team and we like playing Germany.”
Indian team has named youngsters like Aditya Lalage, Rajinder Singh, and Shilanand Lakra for the series and Craig Fulton is expecting the youngsters to put on a good show.
“We have been giving chances to the players who are coming up with a bunch of them playing at the Asian Champions Trophy and we will see a few of them tomorrow,” Fulton said.
Similarly, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh returned to the venue after attending a host of junior camps in 2013.
“I’m excited to be playing in Delhi again,” he said. “I have a lot of fond memories of this city and the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. Back in 2013, I was part of the junior camp held here, and I spent countless hours training and honing my skills at this very stadium. It played an important role in my development as a player, so returning here to play an international match feels like a special homecoming,” Harmanpreet said about his excitement.
The India vs Germany clash promises to deliver intense and exciting hockey, as both teams share a fierce rivalry. Since 2013, the two sides have faced each other 19 times, with India winning 8 matches and Germany 7. Germany, the reigning World Champions and Silver Medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympics, will look to continue their dominance, but India will be eager to avenge their narrow 3-2 loss in the Semi-Finals of the Paris.
Indian squad for bilateral test series against Germany
Goalkeepers: Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Varun Kumar, Sanjay, Sumit, Nilam Sanjeep
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad (VC), Vishnu Kant Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Mohd. Raheel Mouseen, Rajinder Singh
Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Aditya Arjun Lalage, Dilpreet Singh, Shilananda Lakra
Comments are closed.