Harmanpreet & Co face Australia

Antwerp: Low on confidence after four successive defeats, a struggling India will be desperate to arrest the slide and stay in contention for the top prize when they take on a formidable Australia in the men’s FIH Pro League on Saturday.

The European leg of the tournament has been disappointing for the Indian men’s hockey team, which suffered 1-2 and 2-3 losses to Olympic champions Netherlands in Amstelveen, followed by back-to-back defeats against Argentina.

Ranked fifth with 15 points from 12 games, India need to bounce back strongly against Australia to collect crucial points and remain in the race for a top-three finish.

“A win against Australia will be very critical for us, as it will not only help us gain crucial points but also give the team a winning momentum,” said captain Harmanpreet Singh, who had missed the last match due to a finger injury,

in a release.