The Indian men’s hockey team will be keen to begin their European leg of the FIH Pro League on a positive note as they take on the Netherlands in Rotterdam on Sunday.
India will play eight matches in Rotterdam and London, the main focus being improving their form and getting the right preparations for the World Cup, scheduled this year in August.
India will be in action against the Netherlands on June 14 before facing Germany in back-to-back encounters on June 17 and 18. The team will then conclude the leg with a second meeting against the Netherlands on June 21.
Later in London, India will Pakistan on June 23 followed by England on June 25. They will meet Pakistan and England again on June 26 and 28 to conclude their campaign.
Speaking ahead of the competition, chief coach Craig Fulton said, “This Pro League block is a crucial part of our World Cup preparation. Playing in the Netherlands and England against top-ranked opposition is exactly the test we need at this stage. These fixtures give us the opportunity to test our different combinations.”
He added, “Our focus is simple: press well, be dangerous on the counter, and be consistent across all four matches. We know where we want to be by the World Cup, and these games will tell us where we are exactly.”
The clash against the Netherlands will also mark a special occasion for one of India’s most decorated hockey players. Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh is set to equal the record for most international appearances for India, reaching 412 caps, a milestone currently held by Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey.
The match will start at 7:30 PM on Sunday.
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