Kolkata: The Olympic campaign of the Indian hockey team is starting from today. India’s hockey team will start their Olympic campaign by playing against New Zealand today. If they finish in the top four in the group, they will get a chance to play in the quarterfinals. But the Indian hockey team’s dream is not just to reach the quarterfinals, their goal is to win gold.
India will play their first match against New Zealand today, followed by matches against Argentina (July 29), Ireland (July 30), Belgium (August 1), and Australia (August 2). If they finish in the top four in the group, they will qualify for the quarterfinals.
There was a time when the Indian hockey team was synonymous with the stars of Kolkata. Keshab Dutt, Yoginder Rajput, and Bharat Chetri are still part of the Olympic squad. Before the campaign began, captain Harmanpreet Singh told the media, ‘We have settled in Paris since July 20 and our preparations have been great. We want to win the first match on Saturday and set the tone for the tournament. Our only goal is to win gold for the country.’
Harmanpreet also has a connection with Kolkata. Before joining the Indian team, he played for Punjab Sports in the Kolkata League. He is not only the captain but also one of the best drag-flickers in the world.
Gurjant Singh and Sumit Balmeeki, who played important roles in India’s bronze medal win in the Tokyo Olympics, are also part of the team. Both of them have played in the Kolkata League. Gurjant Singh played for Punjab Sports and CSC for five consecutive years.
Abhishek, the 24-year-old from Sonipat, is India’s main hope for scoring goals. He is identified as coach Craig Fulton’s secret weapon. Abhishek also played for East Bengal in the Kolkata League in 2021.
For the past few decades, Indian hockey players have been physically and technically strong, but they have been failing at the last minute, deviating from their own victory. Coach Craig Fulton has two mental trainers, Paddy Upton and Mike Horn, to help the team overcome this failure. They were also part of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indian cricket team in 2011. It remains to be seen whether the duo of coach Craig Fulton and Paddy Upton can help India achieve their goal.
