New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): The Indian Men's Hockey Team departed for Japan on Tuesday evening to defend their continental crown at the Asian Games 2026, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

The hockey competition will be played in Kakamigahara, located approximately 35 km from Nagoya. Led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian side will be determined to put behind them their disappointing eighth-place finish at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, held last month in the Netherlands and Belgium, and shift focus towards the crucial continental assignment, according to a release.

With the Asian Games gold medal offering direct qualification to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, India will aim to successfully defend the title they won at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

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The Indian team showed glimpses of its quality at the World Cup but struggled to maintain consistency at key moments, ultimately paying the price in closely contested encounters. The team will now look to draw from that experience and deliver a more composed and consistent performance in Japan.

India have established themselves as the dominant force in Asian hockey over the past decade, with the team comfortably securing the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asia Cup. The defending champions will be keen to maintain that supremacy and secure another Olympic berth by retaining their gold medal.

"We don't want to think too far ahead and will focus on one game at a time," said India captain Harmanpreet. "There are no easy games because you want to play well consistently throughout the competition and not let up. The aim is to keep improving with every match and hit peak form when it matters the most during the knockout phase."

Chief Coach Craig Fulton would also want the players to remain focused on execution of plans rather than thinking about the eventual outcome. 

Four-time champions India have been drawn in Pool A alongside hosts Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The defending champions will open their campaign against Indonesia on September 20 and conclude their pool engagements against Bangladesh on September 28.

The knockout phase will see the semifinals played on October 1, while the final is scheduled for October 3. With qualification for the LA 2028 Olympic Games at stake, the Indian team will aim to maintain its stronghold and return home with a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal. (ANI)