Bengaluru, June 30: India coach PR Sreejesh says competing in the FIH Junior World Cup in a new format will be exciting and reckons that the real tournament will begin from the quarterfinals.
India will host the quadrennial event in the cities of Chennai and Madurai from November 28 till December 10, this year.
For the first time, 24 teams will compete in the World Cup which was initially a 12-team tournament. From the 2001 edition onwards it became a 16-team tournament.
Under the new format, teams will be divided into six pools (A-F) with four teams in each pool. The six group winners and two best-placed second place teams will qualify for the quarterfinals.
India are placed in Pool B alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Chile and Switzerland.
“We will take each game as it comes, one step at a time and grab as many points as we can to secure the best spot in the quarterfinals,” Sreejesh said in a Hockey India release.
“This is the first time the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup, 2025 has been expanded to 24 teams, and we’re planning our preparations accordingly. Playing in this new format will be very exciting,” the former India goalkeeper said.
“Our Pool B presents a good challenge, with Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland. While I expect the match against Pakistan will be interesting, the tournament will really start from the quarterfinals.”
In the last edition of the men’s Junior Hockey World Cup in 2023, India had missed the podium and finished fourth.
India’s best result came in 2001 and 2016 when they emerged champions.
Germany has been the most successful team in the tournament having won the title seven times. They are also currently the defending champion. (PTI)
