Men’s Hockey: India seek Champions Trophy boost ahead of Olympics

India coach Roelant Oltmans interacts with players at a practice session in London on Thursday, ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Germany.

Out to gain confidence before the Olympic Games, the Indian hockey team will be eyeing a podium finish at the Champions Trophy, beginning with a clash against Olympic gold medallists Germany here on Friday.

Launching their campaign at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre, India are seeking to add to their only Champions Trophy medal — a bronze — they clinched at Amsterdam in 1982.

On seven occasions thereafter, India have been edged off the podium as they lost crucial bronze medal encounters. The last two Champions Trophy events in 2012 (Melbourne) and 2014 (Bhubaneswar) feature among the seven fourth-place finishes that left Indian fans dejected.

“A podium finish is a realistic target we’re chasing here at this Champions Trophy,” said coach Roelant Oltmans as the team went through training ahead of the German encounter.

“A medal here will be a big confidence booster ahead of the Olympic Games,” said Oltmans. “Rio de Janeiro is our main focus this summer and good results on the way will surely lift the team’s morale.”

Returning to the Olympic Park in London also provides India a chance to erase the unhappy memories of the last-place finish in the 2012 Olympics. Before that Indian hockey used to romance the 1948 Olympic gold medal they had won in London.

“We like a challenge, but we have to execute our tactics in match situations and keep evolving,” said Oltmans, who has continued his rotational policy to provide exposure to all players ahead of picking the squad for Rio.

Starting with the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where India got the silver behind world champions Australia, Oltmans is eager to test his junior players in stiff contests. To do so, he has had to create space by shuffling the senior players in the squad.

Custodian P.R. Sreejesh, who will captain the squad at the Champions Trophy, and penalty corner shooter V.R. Raghunath are back after missing the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, while Sardar Singh and Rupinderpal Singh have been rested.

World no. 1 Australia, third-ranked Germany, no. 4 Great Britain and fifth-placed Belgium are all rated above India, currently seventh in the International Hockey Federation standings.

Live on Star Sports 2, HD 2 India vs Germany from 8:30 pm