Defence is our priority: Harmanpreet ahead of ACT opener vs Bangladesh

The Indian hockey team is striving to become a better outfit defensively skipper Harmanpreet Singh said on Monday as he downplayed the favourites tag given to his side which is chasing a recordextending sixth Asian Champions Trophy title here India will take on Bangladesh in their ACT opener at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday Bangladesh replaced Pakistan in the draw after the latter withdrew citing security concernsDefence that is our priority We have very skilful forwards who create good opportunities If we perform well in both defence and attack we can become a better team Harmanpreet said at the pretournament captains press conference here When we attack we must ensure that we convert our opportunities into goals he added Harmanpreet said an improved defensive performance could make a significant difference to Indias overall showingI would focus on our defensive performance The way we defend as a team can make a significant difference to our overall performance There are some areas where we need to improve but we will analyse our performances and work on those aspects during the tournament he saidFivetime champions India are among the favourites to lift the title being the highestranked team in the competition at eighth in the world The hosts are also entering the tournament on a high after winning the Asian Games gold medal and securing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics However Harmanpreet said India would not take any opponent lightly in the sixteam competitionEvery team is here to compete and win the tournament All the teams are strong and we do not want to take any opponent lightly Everyone has come here to give their best he said We have gained a lot of experience and matured as a team We will approach every match with the same mindset and give every opponent the respect they deserve he addedThe skipper however believes Indias familiarity with their Asian rivals will be beneficial for the home side We have played against all these teams before so we have an understanding of their strengths The teams participating here are among the best in Asia and we will have to be at our best to succeed Harmanpreet saidIndia have retained the core of the squad that won gold at the AichiNagoya Asian Games making only minor changes and bringing in youngsters such as forward Aditya Lalage and defender Amandeep Lakra Harmanpreet believes the tournament will provide an ideal platform for the youngsters to prove themselves at the highest levelWhen we refer to players as new it does not necessarily mean they have never played with the team before They may simply have played fewer matches at this level he explained They have experience and understand our structure because they regularly attend training camps with us Some have also been a part of the India A team he saidThis tournament is a good opportunity for them to showcase their skills and play with confidence They should not feel under pressure because the team is there to support them They need to fulfil their individual responsibilities and we will certainly help themThe ACT also marks the beginning of Indias preparations for the 2028 Olympics where they will face tougher challenges against Australia and European powerhouses However Harmanpreet does not foresee any fundamental change in the teams approach I do not think there will be a fundamental change in our approach Asian teams have a different structure and playing style particularly in their marking systems while European teams play differentlyOur primary focus is on the current tournament and the challenges ahead We have played against many of these teams and we will prepare our strategies according to our opponents There will be several things for us to learn and analyse and that will help us improve as a team he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever