Fulton’s men look to bounce back | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: India struggled during the European leg of the FIH Pro League last month, losing seven of their eight matches against top teams such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. For the Indian team, this was a tough reality check, especially as they had aimed to secure a World Cup berth. They narrowly missed the wooden spoon, finishing above bottom-placed Ireland.This experience served as a wake-up call for the team. However, there is hope on the horizon. The Men in Blue are now focusing on the Asia Cup, which begins late next month in Rajgir, Bihar.The competition offers India a chance to qualify for the World Cup scheduled to take place in the Netherlands and Belgium in Aug next year. Preparations are already underway, with a training camp set to begin on Monday. Additionally, a squad of 24 players will be taken to Australia for a two-week camp that will include friendly matches. From them, 20 players (including two standbys) will be selected for the continental competition.“The Asia Cup is a priority for the year. We want to remain the No. 1 in Asia, and we know many strong teams will be vying for victory to secure direct qualification. We must respect all our opponents, but we are focused on improving from our performance in the Pro League and returning to winning form,” said India’s head coach Craig Fulton during a virtual interaction on Tuesday.India, currently ranked No. 8 in the world, is the highest-ranked team in Asia and will enter the tournament as favourites. However, challengers like Pakistan (WR 15), Malaysia (12), and South Korea (13) could give the home team a tough competition. The Indian team must utilise the next seven weeks to address their weaknesses and bring their best performance to Rajgir. One major concern has been the performance of the backline, as they conceded 26 goals in eight matches last month. They allowed some soft goals that frustrated Fulton, who emphasises a solid defensive strategy.Also, teams frequently scored late, contributing to India’s losses. India also felt the absence of their captain, Harmanpreet Singh, who missed several matches due to a finger injury. “He got hit with the ball on his finger, which opened it up. Losing your captain during critical moments is always challenging, and someone else needs to step up to fill that void. It was a tough period for us, but we are fully focused on the Asia Cup now and have learned some hard lessons,” Fulton remarked.