Perth: India hockey captain Bharat Chetri feels that playing in the new format — Hockey 9s Super Series — will prove to be advantageous for India in the long run, including the Olympic qualifier.
India is one of the four countries taking part in the Lanco International Super Series Hockey 9s, which will be played with less number of players for lesser time with wider goalmouth and new set of penalty corner rules.
Chetri said that playing against teams like Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand in the new format will add value and quality to India's Olympic qualifier programme.
“All the other countries in the competition, except India, have qualified for next year's Olympics. We have now got a chance to engage the teams in a competition,” Chetri said at the sidelines of a promotional event at the Cutin University Hockey grounds.
“This format lays emphasis on scoring and that is what we need to do at the qualifier. If we can score more goals here and keep up the habit, it will do a world of good to us,” he added.
Asked if playing in a new format might confuse the players, especially in the Olympic qualifiers, Chetri explained, “only the fitter teams will do well in the Hockey 9s. Therefore, this event is an opportunity to test our fitness level and where we stand as far as our fitness level is concerned.”
The Hindu