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IMAGE: Indian males’s hockey team climbed to the fourth spot within the newest FIH rankings. Photograph: Hockey India
The Indian men’s hockey team jumped two locations to fourth within the newest FIH rankings on the again of its uncommon back-back-wins towards world champions Germany and Australia within the Pro League matches in Rourkela.
Significantly, India moved forward of hockey powerhouse Australia, who dropped one place to fifth.
Germany, who had been on high spot after profitable World Cup title in Odisha in January, additionally slipped two locations to third spot after dropping back-to-back matches to India.
India gained all their 4 matches — two every towards Germany and Australia — of their FIH Pro League matches performed on the Birsa Munda Stadium, the world’s largest all-seater venue.
This is lower than two months after India made a surprising final 16 exit within the World Cup held right here and in Bhubaneswar in January.
India gained each the double-legged matches towards Germany 3-2 and 6-3 whereas they beat Australia 5-4 and 4-3 in penalty shootout (after 2-2 in regulation time) within the first and second video games.
Not solely the all-win efficiency took India to the highest of the FIH Pro League factors desk, the facet led by Harmanpreet Singh jumped two locations from earlier sixth to fourth within the newest FIH rankings.
The Netherlands, who gained bronze within the World Cup, are on the high spot whereas runners-up Belgium occupy the second place within the newest rankings.
“These issues (world rating) do not matter to us a lot. We do not maintain this in thoughts once we play. Our solely precedence was to convert our probabilities and maintain the strain on the opponent,” India captain Harmanpreet Singh mentioned.
“Some of the kids who obtained a possibility to present their expertise additionally stood up to the event and did very properly for themselves in addition to the team,” mentioned Harmanpreet, who’s at the moment the main goal-scorer within the ongoing FIH Pro League with 11 objectives, forward of Belgium’s Alexander Hendrickx (six objectives).
The 21,000-capacity Birsa Munda Stadium has turned out to be a fortress for the Indian team remained unbeaten in eight matches. The Indian team has gained seven and drawn as soon as on the venue.
India performed 4 matches on the venue within the World Cup — two in group stage and two within the classification stage — and gained thrice and drawn as soon as. India beat Spain 2-0 within the first group match and performed out a 0-0 draw towards England within the second.
They beat Wales 4-2 within the final group match on the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar earlier than dropping to New Zealand in penalty shootout within the knockout crossover recreation on the identical venue to crash out of the showpiece.
The Indian team then gained two classification matches on the Birsa Munda Stadium to end at joint ninth place within the World Cup.
“We are completely happy to maintain our document intact right here in Rourkela. We have not misplaced a single match right here on this magnificent stadium. Definitely, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium may be very fortunate for us,” Harmanpreet mentioned.
“When you get a lot love and encouragement from followers, we wish to go on the market and win each single recreation,” mentioned the ace drag-flicker who scored twice in India’s tense shootout victory towards Australia on Wednesday.
Australia had come to the FIH Pro League with nearly half of the primary XI being rookie gamers who weren’t within the World Cup squad. India additionally both dropped or rested eight gamers from the World Cup team, together with senior gamers like Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and Nilakanta Sharma.
One of the brand new gamers who shone vivid was striker Selvam Karthi, who’s now the fourth highest goal-scorer within the FIH Pro League. Others like Sukhjeet Singh and Abhishek, who had been within the World Cup team, additionally did properly.
“There are many constructive takeaways for us from this outing right here in Rourkela which can maintain us in good stead as we put together for the upcoming Asian Games,” added Harmanpreet, who flopped together with his drag-flick in India’s World Cup marketing campaign.
