Harmanpreet Singh had also captained the side in the recent series against Australia, where the side fought hard before losing the five-match rubber 1-4.
Smriti Mandhana showered praise on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and said that the 35-year-old is fierce and always gives her best.
Malhotra said India will be strong contenders to land the title in the showpiece, citing the right blend of youth and experience in the Harmanpreet Kaur-led squad.
Jeremy Hayward (11th minute), Nicolas della Torre (35th), Harmanpreet Singh (50th) and Harish Somappa (52nd) scored for Soorma while Thierry Brinkman (5th), Sanjay (30th) and Gursahibjit Singh (50th) were on target for the Lancers.
India suffered an embarrassing 0-7 drubbing at the hands of defending champions Australia to settle for a silver medal
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Sukhjeet Singh scored a brace each to hand India a 5-3 victory over World champions Germany in the second hockey Test, but the hosts lost the two-match series via shoot-out at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, in Delhi, on Thursday.
India are placed in Pool B alongside defending champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland.
Germany, however, regained their lead in the blink of an eye as the ball again got the better of Pathak after it came off Prinz's stick.
India's men's hockey team clinched a second successive bronze medal at the Olympics for the first time in 52 years after a come-from-behind 2-1 victory win over Spain, giving veteran goalkeeper P R Sreejesh a fitting farewell in Paris on Thursday.
Trailing by two goals, Spain pressed on the accelerator, earning a couple of penalty corners in the final quarter but the Indian defence stood tall in the absence of skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who was rested for the game.
Gurindervir, Kujur, Manikanta, Amlan set new 4x100m relay national record
Spain took sweet revenge for their defeat against India in the bronze-medal match at the Paris Olympics, overcoming Harmanpreet Singh's side 3-1 in a FIH men's Pro League game.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Indian men's hockey team after their bronze medal triumph at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
India's hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh and veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh expressed disappointment at not being able to realise their goal of winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but said a bronze will be at least better than returning home empty-handed.
Gurjant Singh (10th minute) gave Soorma the lead early in the game while Jugraj Singh (56th) equalised for the Tigers towards the end.
Goal disallowed, India lose 1-2 to Argentina for fourth straight defeat in Pro League
'We have got lots of energy within the group and as I said before we are really excited about the opportunity that we have given ourselves to go out there and play our best game.'
'With this bronze medal, the team has proved that Indian Hockey is back on track.' 'We are a force to be reckoned with and on our day, we can really be unstoppable.'
After securing a historic second consecutive Olympic bronze medal, the team was greeted by thousands of cheering fans.
India clinched a second successive Olympic bronze medal at the Games for the first time in 52 years with a 2-1 triumph over Spain in the third position playoff on Thursday.
Harmanpreet Singh will lead a 24-member Indian squad in the Europe leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League starting on May 22.
India continued their dominance over Ireland, defeating the visitors 4-0 in their return leg men's FIH Pro League match.
As the final hooter rang through the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, sealing the Indian hockey team's bronze medal triumph, an electrifying wave of emotions swept through the families of the victorious players.
India women will be keen to internalise the conditions and character of venues in England ahead of next year's World Cup during the five-match T20I series against the hosts, beginning with the opening game on Saturday.
Scoring field goals was a major concern in Paris but here the young forwardline comprising Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Uttam Singh, Gurjot Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal and others have exceeded expectations.
Indian men's hockey team set for first real test against Belgium
Harmanpreet said all of it helped when the team was faced with nervy situations like the the quarter-final against Britain, when they were reduced to 10 men for more than 40 minutes after Amit Rohidas was red-carded for dangerous play.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian men's hockey team for securing the bronze medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Thursday.
Placed in the platinum category, Harmanpreet was retained by the Renegades along with Hayley Matthews of the West Indies.
The Indian men's hockey team on Saturday dominated their neighbouring rivals Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, getting a stunning 10-2 victory to continue their winning run in the tournament.
Maintaining a clean slate, favourites India will fancy their chances when they take on a below-par but unpredictable Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Hulunbuir, China on Monday.
Shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics while Gukesh was crowned the World Chess Champion in Singapore, last month.
The India hockey team had won it's first Olympic medal in 41 years at the Tokyo Games.
The Kookaburras stunned the visitors once again by taking the lead a minute later through Willot, who deflected the ball in front of the Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak from Nathan Ephraums's inch-perfect pass.
Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Mandeep Singh, were greeted by a sea of devotees and well-wishers as they arrived at the holy shrine.
Pakistan women's cricket team captain Fatima Sana draws inspiration from India's World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni
The prolific drag-flicker said the series would be an opportunity to test the team further after its title-winning run in the Asian Champions Trophy in China earlier this month.
Olympic bronze-medallists India wasted chances galore to lose 0-2 to world champions Germany in the first hockey Test of the two-match series in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Harmanpreet scores twice as India thrash Belgium 5-1 in Pro League hockey match
India rode on an all-round showing by Harmanpreet Singh to defeat Bangladesh by 46 runs in the second ODI and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match women's series, in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday. After electing to bat and putting up 256 for 6, the home side restricted the Bangladesh women to 210 for 8. Harmanpreet, besides scoring 103, also took two wickets.
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