Resurgent India face Argentina in opener

India have made rapid improvement in the last one year, but the hosts will have to be on their toes against Argentina in their opening game of the Hockey World League Finals, here on Friday.

India are in a tough Pool B alongside world no. 5 Argentina, second ranked Holland and world no. 3 Germany.

The opening day will also witness the famous European rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands in the other game.

Under high performance director Roelant Oltmans, who is also the chief coach, India have shown significant progress to take the sixth spot in the world rankings, up two places.

But the HWL Final will be a different ball game as top seven teams of the world will be in action. Besides India, Argentina, Germany and Netherlands, the tournament also features world no. 1 Australia, Great Britain (4), Belgium (7) and Canada (14), who are Pool A.

All eight teams have qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics and the tournament will give each a fair idea about where they stand with little over nine months left for the quadrennial event.

India, who finished fourth at the Hockey World League semi-final in Antwerp, are led by midfield mainstay Sardar Singh while star goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh will be his deputy.

Pan Am champions Argentina will be a tough nut to crack. Since winning the bronze medal at last year’s World Cup in Holland, the Los Leones have climbed to fifth in the world rankings thanks to the Pan Am Cup success and a second place finish in the HWL semi-final in Buenos Aires.

LIVE on STAR Sports 1 India vs Argentina from 7 pm Australia vs Holland from 9 pm