The senior Indian men's and women's hockey teams left for Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday morning for the FIH Pro League 2021/22. The Indian women's hockey team, led by Savita, will play a double-header against the hosts on June 11 and 12.
"We are excited for this trip as we have been given a great opportunity in the form of FIH Hockey Pro League games to play against some of the top teams in Europe," captain Savita said prior to the team's departure.
"Playing against these top-ranked teams will also help us prepare for the FIH Women's World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in July this year. It's a fantastic platform for us to assess our performances and work on our weaknesses," Savita added.
The Indian women's team is currently third in the FIH Pro League 2021/22 table with 22 points in eight games. They are only behind table leaders Argentina (38 points) and the Netherlands (second position - 26 points).
However, the Indian team has played fewer games than Argentina and the Netherlands and have an opportunity to move up the ranks if they win all their remaining fixtures.
The Indian men's squad, led by Amit Rohidas, will also play a double-header against Belgium on June 11 and 12. India are currently occupying the second spot in the FIH Men's Pro League table. They are just three points behind the top-placed Netherlands.
"We are delighted to play against some of the top teams in the world on their home soil," Rohidas said, expressing the team's excitement ahead of their trip.
"We are very excited to put up a good show against Belgium and the Netherlands. We're not looking too far ahead at the moment; we just want to focus on one game at a time, and showcase our best performance to retake the top spot in the FIH Hockey Pro League table," he added.