Hockey team to have 10-day camp at Ipoh

The Indian hockey team will have a 10-day conditioning camp at Ipoh, Malaysia, from February 9 to 18 before moving on to Kuala Lumpur for the World Cup.

This is being done as the astro turf as the Ipoh ground, where the team will train, is similar as the one at the Bukit Jalil stadium, where the February 24 - March 9 World Cup will be held.

Arrangements for use of the Ipoh ground were made by assistant India coach C R Kumar, who went to Kuala Lumpur for the just-concluded Six-nation invitational tournament on a reconnaissance mission.

After the Ipoh camp, the team will move to Kuala Lumpur on the 18th and play a practise match against New Zealand on the main ground.

Kumar has also made arrangements for the team to train for an hour-and-a-half daily at the Jalil stadium under floodlights, as most of India's matches will be played late in the evening.

The team will be announced on January 31 and leave for Malaysia on February 9, from New Delhi.