'The focus will be on maintaining structure and would like to play more in structure in our upcoming games.'
After bagging back-to-back Olympic bronze medals, India will start as favourites to defend their ACT title against top hockey playing nations of Asia in the form of China, Japan, Pakistan, Korea and Malaysia.
The Indian men's hockey team is undergoing a philosophy shift, moving away from the traditional attacking style of play with new head coach Craig Fulton emphasising on having a sound defense.
'Mental conditioning specialist, Paddy Upton will be working closely with our Senior Men's Team ahead of their campaigns in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 and the high-stakes Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where the team will compete for direct Olympic qualification,' Hockey India tweeted
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.
Hardik Pandya could become the first Indian and overall the third player in the history of T20 Internationals to achieve the double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets.
UAE set to decline PCB request to host PSL games
Indian hockey chief coach Craig Fulton believes the services of Paddy Upton would give his wards the "mental edge" in the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy and Hangzhou Asian Games.
Legendary West Indies batsman Sir Vivian Richards expressed his disappointment and frustration at the absence of the Caribbean side from the Champions Trophy, urging them to emulate Afghanistan's rise in world cricket. Richards highlighted Afghanistan's fighting spirit and consistent performances, contrasting their presence in the tournament with the West Indies' exclusion.
Pakistan need to win if they are any chance of progressing to the semi-finals in their home tournament after being crushed by New Zealand in their campaign opener.
The midfield will be spearheaded by Olympic bronze medal-winning former skipper Manpreet Singh, current vice-captain Hardik Singh and young Vivek Sagar Prasad, while India also boasts of a strong, attacking forwardline in Shamsher Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh.
India maintained their dominance in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament with a nervy 3-2 victory over South Korea
Shubman Gill has described his appointment as India's ODI captain as the "biggest honour", expressing pride in carrying forward the legacy left by Rohit Sharma, who will play under him in the upcoming three-match series in Australia.
Suryakumar Yadav hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support and enthusiasm after Team India won their 9th Asia Cup trophy
Debutants, heat and distance shape mood ahead of 2026 World Cup draw
A last-minute goal by Firhan Ashari helped Malaysia beat Japan and clinch the bronze medal in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament that concluded in Ordos, China on Sunday.
The tournament had been fraught with tension from the very start, and the animosity carried into the final, which India won by five wickets on a rather long Sunday night.
Besides two goalkeepers, the Asian Games-bound team will have six defenders, five midfielders and as many forwards.
Images from India's match against Pakistan in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai on Wednesday.
Surya-led India continued their dominant run in T20I cricket, handing Pakistan their third loss in the head-to-head encounters between these two sides in the final of the Asia Cup at Dubai on Sunday. I
'Even in PlayStation games, he was keen to win.'
The Pakistan hockey team has got the green signal to travel to India for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy slated to be held in Chennai from August 3.
The future of the Asia Cup -- a six-team tournament, which will be played in T20 format, is clouded in uncertainty.
World champions India are placed at the top of the T20 International rankings, although their lead over the second-placed Australia has reduced from 10 to nine points.
Pakistan, traditionally one of the biggest names in Asian hockey, will not participate, paving the way for Bangladesh to enter the competition. Oman, too, decided against participation, with Kazakhstan taking their place.
Kawasaki Frontale's Tatsuya Ito compared lining up beside Cristiano Ronaldo before their Asian Champions League Elite semi-final to being in "a video game", as the J-League outfit handed the Saudi club a 3-2 defeat to progress to the final.
This year's Asia Cup hangs in the balance following the recent clashes between tournament hosts India and arch-rivals Pakistan.
'We have enough time to build towards Asian Games and World Cup.'
Manpreet Singh, the second-most capped player in Indian hockey, has found a second wind by tweaking his lifestyle and diet.
Salman Ali Agha feels that Indian team's 'No Handshake' policy while playing Pakistan in the Asia Cup was "disrespectful" to the game.
The Asian Champions Trophy victory has boosted India's morale ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers, according to captain Savita, who expressed confidence in the side's experienced players to help the women's hockey team qualify for the Paris Games.
The Indian hockey team that won a second successive Olympic bronze for the country here on Thursday featured 11 players, who will come back as two-time medallists from the quadrennial showpiece.
The 19-year-old looked set for a double century and join the likes of India's Abhigyan Kundu and South Africa's Jorich Van Schalkwyk in the elite 200-plus club.
'My parents have the biggest role in what I have become. They always told me that if you dream, dream big.'
'But looking at our current performance, I'm confident that a medal in the World Cup is not far off.'
India's women's hockey team, led by captain Salima Tete, is confident of an improved performance in the upcoming Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Pro League.
This brings us to the question of combination and perhaps Arshdeep could miss out on more games going into the T20 World Cup -- a tournament that will be held in the sub-continent -- India and Sri Lanka.
India will battle it out against the likes of South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan and China in the Asian Champions Trophy.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram optimistic about India travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy.
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.
