India look for a winning start

India will be looking for a winning start to their campaign when they take on Wales in a Pool A encounter of the World Cup qualifier in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Coming into the tournament with indifferent form, losing to Poland and then drawing with Canada in practice matches, India will be going all out for goals in what is seen as an easy match for the eight-time Olympic champions.

But coach Cedric D'Souza doesn't think so. "Every team comes into a tournament to win," he said, as the Indian team trained at the hockey stadium.

"We have to play our normal game and, most importantly, use the opportunities to get in the goals fast, so that pressure is on the Welsh team."

As D'Souza said before the tournament, the important thing is to qualify. But India, considered tournament favourites, would want to go all the way to the final to regain some confidence.

Apart from that, the Indian team, sponsored for the first time in years, would also want to instil some faith in their sponsors Castrol by entering the final or even winning the tourney.

Wales don't play out of Europe much and they will have a problem holding the Indian forwards at bay. Only three Welsh players, Paul Cannock, with 85 internationals, captain Zak Jones, with 53, and Owen Griffiths, with 55, have the experience, but a majority of the team have only played between five and ten internationals.

The Indians, on the other hand, are the most experienced team in the tournament along with Argentina and Canada. On sheer experience alone, beating the Welsh shouldn't be a problem.

Prabhjot Singh, Gagan Ajit Singh, Baljit Dhillon and Daljit Dhillon have been scoring but not utilising all the chances that come their way. In crunch situations, when goals are needed, they falter, thus adding pressure at the back.

However, the defence is the saving grace, and the only area in the team that has been very consistent. Dilip Tirkey and Lazarus Barla are combining well and with goalkeeper Jude Menezes improving rapidly, D'Souza can keep his mind on the rest of the team.

Tuesday's match reports from the World Cup qualifier