Hockey India on Saturday sacked national coach Roelant Oltmans after a string of unimpressive outings at the international level.
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.
A bronze medal finish is not what hockey coach Craig Fulton had wanted, but the South African will relish the achievement simply for the fact that "underdog India" lifted themselves up from disappointments when no one gave them a chance.
A profligate India succumbed to a 2-3 defeat against the Netherlands on Thursday and face an early exit from the FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup in Singapore. Mink Van Der Weerden's hat-trick sunk India in the crucial Pool D encounter and, consequentially, the Diwakar Ram-led side will have to beat Poland in their final pool match on Friday.
The 2020 Olympics will be be held from July 24 to August 9 next year with the preliminary rounds of hockey for both men and women scheduled to start on July 25.
Let's delve into the five most notable sporting accomplishments that India has achieved post August 15, 1947.
Australia beat Spain to enter World Cup last four for 12th time on the trot
Manu Bhaker has been shockingly ignored for this year's Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, a top sports ministry source has asserted
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.
Going by the teams' past 4-4 win-loss record in World Cups, there is little to separate the two hockey powerhouses. But a win on Thursday will not only earn one of them a spot in the title clash, but also give them the edge when it boils down to rivalry between the two countries in the tournament.
The Indian men's hockey team registered a comprehensive 3-0 win over reigning Olympic champions Argentina in the second match of the FIH Pro League to jump to the fourth spot in the points table, in Buenos Aires on Sunday.
India gave away a goal in the eighth minute before bouncing back strongly after half time to lead 2-1. But Belgium struck four minutes from the hooter to snatch a 2-2 draw in an evenly-contested match.
A look at India's schedule on Tuesday, August 3, 2021:
Failing to sustain an aggressive start, the Indian men's hockey team went down to Spain 1-4 in its third match of the ongoing Europe Tour in Sant Cugat del Valles.
India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh wants his team to stop conceding silly penalty corners during their crucial match against arch-rivals Pakistan on Wednesday.
While Belgium dominated the first half, India did well to roar back in the second session. Belgium went into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead, but India fought back well to keep pressure on the opponents in the 2nd half.
India take on Korea in their last Asian Games men's hockey league match.
Defending champions Belgium found the equaliser with six minutes left in the match to play out a thrilling 2-2 draw against Germany and keep themselves in the hunt for a direct quarter-final berth in the FIH Men's World Cup, in Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday.
India would look to address their attacking woes against a plucky New Zealand for a place in the last-eight stage of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
The Indian Olympic Association on Wednesday formally announced the formation of 'Hockey India', a unified body comprising the country's men's and women's associations.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh slammed a brace as the Indian men's hockey team outplayed Spain 4-1 in a FIH Pro League match in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
India will aim for their first podium finish in 48 years in the men's Hockey World Cup as they begin their campaign with a tricky match against Spain in Rourkela on Friday.
Roelant Oltmans, the Indian men's hockey team's chief coach, says the new competition format of having quarter-finals in place of direct semi-finals at the upcoming Rio Olympics is not only beneficial for the Men in Blue but all small teams too.
India men's hockey team chief coach Roelant Oltmans feels the one week break starting before the Champions Trophy will help the players rejuvenate themselves ahead of the Rio Olympics, the countdown for which has already begun. The 29-member men's hockey squad will be on a week's break before they rejoin on May 29 and Oltmans said the idea, behind the move was to ensure the players are feeling fresh and hungry ahead of next month's FIH Champions Trophy in London. "Starting June 5, the team will be away for almost a month playing two different tournaments in two different countries. Everything we do in this period will be demanding not just physically but also mentally," Oltmans said.
Belgium stunned six-time champions and title holders Germany 4-3 in the shoot out to progress to their maiden final of the men's Junior Hockey World Cup in Lucknow on Friday.
'The focus will be on maintaining structure and would like to play more in structure in our upcoming games.'
Forward Araijeet Singh Hundal netted a hat-trick as the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team beat Asian rivals Korea in their opening match of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Malaysia 2023 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
Rising to the occasion, the Indian hockey team thrashed hosts Indonesia 16-0 to qualify for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup in Jakarta on Thursday on Thursday.
Argentina were the better side on display as they created more chances and scored three times through Agustin Mazzilli (23rd), Lucas Villa (41st) and Lucas Martinez (55th) to pocket full three points from the Pool A encounter at the Kalinga Stadium.
Harmanpreet, Sreejesh shortlisted for FIH Hockey Stars Awards
Both countries are resting their top players for the tournament.
Balbir Singh Sr met MS Dhoni four years ago when the Indian team was at the PCA stadium in Mohali ahead of their World T20 tie against Australia. Singh wanted to convey his good wishes to the team before the game.
'MRI brain done, results awaiting.'
Triple Olympic hockey gold medallist Balbir Singh is hopeful of the P R Sreejesh-led men's hockey team winning a medal at the Games in Rio.
Indian men's hockey team would be eager to ensure that its far-from-convincing campaign finds some footing when it takes on lower-ranked Malaysia
The general impression that the Indian hockey team concedes late goals has changed with its second successive Olympic bronze medal and the Harmanpreet Singh-led side is one of the best in the world in all aspects, feels the legendary Zafar Iqbal.
Indian men's hockey team suffers 1-5 thrashing at hands of Australia in first Test
In the first quarter-final of the day, Germany eked out a narrow 3-1 win over Spain via the shoot-out after both the teams were locked at 2-2 in regulation time. Later, Argentina beat the Netherlands 2-1.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh's brace went in vain as the Indian men's hockey team conceded three goals in the final quarter to lose 4-6 to Australia in a FIH Pro League match in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
