Chennai: Hosts India, the joint second-most successful team in the tournament’s history, will look to reclaim the title on home soil after nine years when they open their campaign against Chile in their opening pool match of the Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup here on Friday.
Two-time champions India, who last won the tournament in 2016 in Lucknow under the guidance of now senior women’s coach Harendra Singh, are favourites to progress from Pool B.
Besides India and Chile, Oman, who replaced Pakistan after the neighbours refused to travel to the country citing security reasons following Operation Sindoor, and Switzerland are the other teams in Pool B. For the first time, 24 teams will fight it out for the title in Chennai and Madurai, the host cities. agencies