When India won an Olympic medal after a 41-year drought at the Tokyo Games, it reignited hopes that a World Cup medal was not out of reach. Since then, the team has undergone significant changes in personnel and results. These changes have given the team a renewed sense of optimism and determination to achieve their goal of a World Cup medal.
Runner-up at the 2022 Commonwealth Games may have sounded promising, but the crushing defeat by Australia in the final was a harsh reality. Despite fielding largely young and inexperienced squads, the team managed to secure a third-place finish at the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. Unfortunately, the senior players had to make do with the few Pro League games for match-practice.
When India lines up against Spain for their opening World Cup game at the brand new, still-getting-finished Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Friday, they will be eager to make a fresh start. However, it won’t be an easy outing. Spain is one of the youngest teams in the tournament, but they have an astute coach who is looking to build a team for the future. India won the meeting at the Tokyo Olympics, but since then, the teams have been evenly matched in the last four Pro League games, all of which were held in Bhubaneswar. India typically starts slow and gradually picks up momentum, so they will need to come out of the gates firing in this match.
Spain boasts a wealth of experience in the form of Captain Alvaro Iglesias, Enrique Gonzalez, and Argentine import Joaquin Menini. Furthermore, the team is led by Max Caldas, a coach who is well-versed in Indian hockey, having been with the Dutch team during India’s quarterfinal run in the last tournament. In his short tenure with Spain, Caldas has demonstrated a willingness to experiment with different strategies.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Matches Played: 30
India: 13
Spain: 11
Draw: 6
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
November 6, 2022: India 2-2 Spain (FIH Pro League)
October 30, 2022: India 2-3 Spain (FIH Pro League)
February 27, 2022: India 3-5 Spain (FIH Pro League)
February 26, 2022: India 5-4 Spain (FIH Pro League)
July 27, 2021: India 3-0 Spain (Tokyo Olympics)
SQUADS
India: P.R. Sreejesh, Krishna Pathak, Jarmanpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh (Captain), Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas (Vice Captain), Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh
Head Coach: Graham Reid
Spain: Andreas Rafi, Alejandro Alonso, Cesar Curiel, Xavi Gispert, Borja Lacalle, Álvaro Iglesias, Ignacio Rodríguez, Enrique Gonzalez, Gerard Clapes, Andreas Rafi, Jordi Bonastre, Joaquin Menini, Mario Garin(gk), Marc Reyne, Marc Miralles (captain), Pepe Cunill, Marc Recasens, Pau Cunill, Marc Vizcaino
Head Coach: Maximiliano Caldas
READ| FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023: When and where to watch India vs Spain match live on TV and online
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