Outplayed at home, the Indian men's hockey team would be eager to bounce back and make a fresh start under new skipper Hardik Singh when it begins the FIH Pro League's overseas leg with a game against Spain here on Saturday. The Hobart leg of the series, which also features hosts Australia, will be held till February 25 at the Tasmania Hockey Centre. The recent Rourkela leg proved to be a painful learning curve for the Indians with losses to Argentina and Belgium. Regular skipper Harmanpreet Singh has taken a break to welcome his second child from the upcoming clutch of matches.

The team views these fixtures as a vital opportunity to test combinations, refine structure, and build momentum ahead of the upcoming FIH World Cup and the subsequent Asian Games. After the campaign-opener against Spain, a high-octane clash against Australia is lined up for Sunday. They will face Spain again on February 24 before concluding the leg with a final match against the formidable Australian side on February 25. India and Spain have been evenly-matched in their last 10 encounters, claiming four regulation wins each, alongside two draws that India went on to win in shootouts. Against Australia, high-scoring drama has been a constant. The hosts hold the statistical edge in their last 10 meetings with six wins to India's two (and two draws).