The Asian Games (September 23 to October 8) is less than three months away, but before that, the Indian men’s hockey team have two tournaments to tackle. They will first leave for a four-nation event in Spain this month, where England and the Netherlands will be the other teams in the fray. Then, they will play in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in August. However, head coach Craig Fulton’s mind is understandably already occupied with thoughts of the Asian Games. 

Pressure of expectation

The South African had a broad smile on his face when mid-day asked him about the high expectations of a gold medal from his World No. 4 and top-ranked Asian team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, assuring them of a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics.