India has shifted gears at the right time.
A robust challenge to defending champion Belgium and a historic win over Olympic silver medallist Australia in its last two pool matches has set up the Craig Fulton-coached side nicely to take on another tough rival, Great Britain, in the quarterfinals of the hockey competitions in the Olympics at the Yves du Manoir Stadium here on Sunday.
India had lost to Great Britain in their last two meetings in the FIH Pro League in London in June. But the Harmanpreet Singh-led outfit has lifted its game steadily in the Olympics and is likely to throw a different challenge against the same rival at a different venue.
India has shown coordination among its defence, midfield and forwardline.
With the seasoned P.R. Sreejesh under the bar, Amit Rohidas and Jarmanpreet Singh on the back, Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh in the midfield and Abhishek, Gurjant and Sukhjeet up the field, the team has capable personnel manning every part of the field. Additionally, the flexibility of the players, developed under Fulton, is proving beneficial.
Harmanpreet has led the pack by example by scoring six goals so far.
The Indian team, which also beat New Zealand and Ireland, and drew with Argentina, must take care in not conceding soft penalty corners, which put it through stern tests early in the pool matches.
Great Britain, the fifth-place finisher in Tokyo, won against France and Spain, drew with the Netherlands and South Africa and lost its last engagement against World champion Germany.
Hoping to improve its performance this time, it will depend on its top goalscorer Gareth Furlong and wish that its penalty corner specialist Sam Ward rediscovers his touch.
With the race for medals narrowing down, the contest may go down to the wire.
