Hangzhou (China): The Indian men's hockey team has been on a stellar run at the ongoing Asian Games which are being played here, having won their first two games with big margins. India defeated Uzbekistan 16-0 in their opening game last week and then the Harmanpreet Singh-led side thrashed Singapore 16-1 in their second game.
India is will gearing up for perhaps their toughest challenge yet in the competition, as they take on the 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Japan on Thursday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who scored four goals against Singapore, said, "We are aware of the level of competition that we will face tomorrow. Japan have a strong unit and we are familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. We have to focus on our own style of play, but we have to also be ready to switch tactics as and when needed on the field to get a good result."
Japan have also been unbeaten so far in the Asian Games, defeating Bangladesh 7-2 in their first match, and then followed it up with a 10-1 win over Uzbekistan in their second game.
"Japan have plenty of goalscorers in their team, and hence our defence needs to be strong to tackle their attacking movements," Harmanpreet added.
"We have to constantly be aware of their movements, especially when we are out of possession, so that we can close the gaps on time, and do not allow them to dictate the pace of the game. It will be an interesting contest and we are all ready for it," added the skipper.