"There's a realistic chance to qualify for World Cup if we stick to the plan in FIH Hockey Pro League," says India VC Hardik Singh

Placed in a strong third position on the points table as they resume their campaign in the away leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 (Men), India Vice Captain Hardik Singh emphasized the importance of finishing the prestigious tournament on top.

On June 7, India will continue its FIH Hockey Pro League campaign against the Netherlands at Amstelveen. Currently, India is in the third spot, with five wins and three losses.

"We have spoken about this within the squad and believe that if we stick to the plan, accumulate enough points, and push for wins--even securing points from draws and subsequent shootouts--we stand a great chance of qualifying for the World Cup through the Pro League," said Hardik as quoted by a Hockey India press release.

Putting things into perspective, he added, "Belgium (currently ranked number two) and the Netherlands (placed behind India at number four) qualify automatically as co-hosts of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup in 2026. That leaves England, who are on top, along with Germany and Spain, as the key competitors vying for qualification. Our matches against Argentina will also be crucial. This is a good challenge for us to have, and qualifying early would give us more time to prepare for the World Cup."

As of now, Australia (placed at number six in the ongoing Pro League) has qualified for the World Cup as winners of the previous edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League, while Belgium and the Netherlands qualify as hosts. Germany, currently placed fifth, still has six matches left and can potentially pose a threat to India's qualification plans.

Meanwhile, the Indian team's focus and precision in preparation for their European campaign have been evident during the multiple red, orange, and green training sessions at the centralized training camp in SAI, Bengaluru over the past three weeks.

"The sessions have been nothing short of rigorous," laughed Hardik, highlighting the hard yards the team has put in, particularly in terms of fitness and conditioning. "We have really been put through the grind by the coach and Alan (Scientific Advisor). Our strength and conditioning have been on point, mainly because we want to be at our peak for back-to-back matches. We practically have no rest days between games, and even when we do, we'll be travelling from the Netherlands to Belgium," he explained.

India will begin their European leg with back-to-back matches against the Netherlands on June 7 and 9, followed by a double-header against Argentina on June 11 and 12 at the Wagner Stadium in Amstelveen.

The team will then travel to Antwerp to face Australia on June 14 and 15, before concluding their campaign against hosts Belgium on June 21 and 22.

"Every point in these six matches will matter. Another exciting aspect of this campaign is that the matches are being played at the same venues where the World Cup will be held next year. This gives us a better understanding of what to expect. We are treating this like a World Cup simulation, and that makes this outing even more important for our squad," Hardik signed off. (ANI)