Bengaluru, April 18

The Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh today said the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai will be a “litmus test” for the side ahead of the Asian Games to be held in September-October later this year.

The seventh edition of the Asian Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held from August 3 to 12, serving as a precursor to the Asiad where teams will vie for gold and qualify for the Paris Games.

“For many of us, it will be the first time that we will be playing in Chennai. I remember our seniors talking about the Asia Cup in 2007 held in Chennai which was a great tournament for India, defending the title in a successful campaign,” Harmanpreet said.

“This will be an ideal tournament for us to see where we stand against the same teams with whom we will be competing in the Asian Games. It will be a litmus test for the team ahead of the Asian Games. It will also give us a good understanding of our opponents and we can further prepare well for the Asian Games where we aim to win the gold medal and directly qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics,” he added.