FIH Pro League: India eye strong start against Belgium and Argentina

Rourkela (PTI): The Indian men's hockey team will seek to establish early dominance in its quest to do way better than the eighth-place finish in the last edition when the side begins its FIH Pro League campaign against formidable Belgium and Argentina here from Wednesday.

India will begin their campaign against Belgium on Wednesday, followed by a clash against Argentina on Thursday. The hosts will once again face Belgium on Saturday before concluding the leg against Argentina on Sunday.

The Indian squad, featuring a balanced mix of experienced internationals and emerging young talent, will look to capitalise on familiar conditions as they take on two of the world's top-ranked teams.

While India are yet to open their campaign, both Argentina and Belgium arrive in Rourkela after a solid start to the season.

Argentina are currently second in the standings with 11 points, having played four matches, in which they recorded three regulation-time wins and one shootout victory.

Belgium, meanwhile, are placed third with 10 points, also from four matches, having secured three regulation-time wins and one shootout defeat.

Historically, Belgium have enjoyed the upper hand in head-to-head encounters against India in recent years.

Since 2013, the two sides have met 35 times, with Belgium winning 22 matches, India winning 11, and two matches ending in draws.

Against Argentina, however, India hold a stronger record, winning 10 of their 19 meetings since 2013, compared to Argentina's seven wins.

Speaking ahead of their opening match, India captain Harmanpreet Singh said, "I am very happy to see youngsters like Amandeep Lakra, Manmeet Singh and Rosan Kujur earning their opportunities in the squad. They have performed exceptionally well in the recent Hero Hockey India League and have shown great potential.

"This is the right time for them to step up at the international level, and I am confident they will make the most of this opportunity.

"The entire team is fit, motivated, and excited, and we are looking forward to seeing these young players express themselves and contribute strongly to the team's performance," he added.

With passionate support expected at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, the Indian team will look to convert that advantage into crucial points and make a confident start.

Sharing his thoughts ahead of the matches against Argentina and India, Belgium captain Arthur Van Doren stated, "Spending time here helps you get used to the conditions and the culture, which is always beneficial when you are here for a longer period.

"But whether it gives us a direct advantage as a Belgian team is hard to say, however, what really helped was that we arrived early. We had a solid and intense training block here...

"We feel sharp, we feel strong, and there's a lot of confidence and energy in the squad. Overall, we're very happy with our preparation going into the Rourkela leg of the Pro League."