India’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers Overview, Schedule, Squad And Telecast Details: Bringing you all the details ahead of India’s impending two qualification matches for the 2020 Olympic Games.
As the clamour for making it into the Olympic Games 2020 starts taking precedence with countries across the global stage partaking in qualifiers to seal their berth in the showpiece games, India find themselves engulfed in the same as well. Beginning 2nd November, the side will be playing two qualifiers on successive days in a bid to assure themselves of a spot in next year’s competition.
Drawn up against world number 22 Russia against whom the country will play two matches on November 1 and 2, India earned the right to become the home side for these encounters on virtue of their higher ranking. The side will be moving to the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar for these encounters, ones the side will be quietly confident of cruising through.
It not just the inferior indentify of their opponents but the imperious touch this Indian team finds itself in at the moment. Fresh off a successful visit of Europe where the side took on Spain and Belgium, the Indian team stamped their authority as they emerged speckle free from those encounters with a 100% winning record. The side had previously made it to his stage after emerging as winners of the FIH Series Finals held earlier this year in the country.
The work being carried out by newly appointed coach Graham Reid is clearly evident with the side managing to transform their game under his expansive tutelage. The world number 5 outfit looks a tenacious bunch of players, ones who has encapsulated and manifested their stick skill set in tandem to cut short oppositions’ defensive work, something the side will be looking to emulate come their upcoming clashes against Russia.
India’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers Hockey Team Squad
P.R. Sreejesh, Krishan, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar, Gurinder Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Amit, Manpreet Singh (C), Nilakanta, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, S.V. Sunil (VC), Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh
“We have chosen a well balanced side with a number of good flexible options. We now need to focus on strategies against Russia, and ensure we are at our best when we step onto the field on 1st and 2nd November,” Indian coach Graham Reid said on the team composition.
Format
The newly introduced format by the International Hockey Federations sees a total of 14 countries partaking in the qualification event with seven spots up at stake for the Olympics 2020. The 14 sides were drawn up against each other back in September with the qualifiers slated to be played out in two phases, one from October 25-27 and the secondary to be spread out over November 1 and 2.
Each country will play a set of two matches against their opponents with the side with the higher aggregate across these two fixtures moving onto next year’s marquee games.
Teams Who Have Qualified For The Tokyo Olympics 2020
Japan, Argentina, South Africa, Belgium, Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Canada
India’s FIH Olympic Schedule
Tickets for India’s matches are currently open and can be purchased on https://www.hockeyindia.org/ in the price bracket of Rs.200-500.
Match Details
Qualifier 1
Match: India Vs Russia
Date And Time: 1st November, Friday- 8:00pm IST
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
Television: Star Sports 1/HD
Match Details
Qualifier 2
Match: India Vs Russia
Date And Time: 2nd November, Saturday- 8:00pm IST
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
Television: Star Sports 1/HD
