Hockey India has been in talks with different nations to organise a tour for the men's team. Captain Manpreet has expressed that the side is looking forward to much-needed match practice before the Tokyo Olympics.
The Australian coach said the sooner India gets to play international matches, the better willbe their preparations for the Olympics.
Six players of the men's team, including Manpreet, had tested positive for COVID-19 at the team's training base here in August after they arrived for the national camp following a month's break.
Captain Manpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Mandeep Singh were discharged from a Bangalore hospital on August 17 and were kept on quarantine for some more days before joining the team.
Captain Manpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Mandeep Singh tested positive for the virus between August 10 and 12 and were admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru.
India hockey coach Graham Reid has said that all the five players who tested positive for coronavirus are "doing fine."
The players might have been away from the field but men's national team coach Graham Reid utilised the enforced break by following his normal routine -- analysing the opposition and preparing for the future.
India displayed an attacking brand of play in the FIH Hockey Pro League earlier this year and reaped rich rewards for it, beating Australia and world champions Belgium.
Graham Reid lauded the steps taken by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Hockey India (HI) amid the ever-rising danger posed by the coronavirus outbreak.
Things are gloomy everywhere in the wake of the pandemic but Reid and his boys have managed to keep their motivation level high.
India displayed some spectacular attacking hockey in the FIH Hockey Pro League matches last month, beating the likes of Australia and Belgium.
Reid was happy with his team's performance in the recently-concluded FIH Pro League matches against the Netherlands, world champions Belgium and Australia.
Hosts India would look to continue their fine form when they take on title holders Australia in their next FIH Pro League tie here on Friday.
The biggest takeaway from the year was the progression of some junior players into the senior fold under new chief coach Graham Reid, who took charge of the senior men's team in April this year.
After securing a 2020 Olympics berth in the qualifiers against Russia, the team is currently undergoing a three-week training and conditioning camp which will conclude on December 8.
The Australian oversaw India's entry into next year's quadrennial extravaganza with victories over Russia in FIH's Qualifiers.
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