Eindhoven (Netherlands), July 21 (PTI) — India A's men's hockey team concluded its European tour with a challenging 2-8 defeat against the formidable Netherlands. This match marked the final showdown in a tour that saw the Indian side face some of hockey's elite teams. In Sunday's match, young midfielder Rajinder Singh and forward Selvam Karthi managed to score for India A. The loss followed a previous 0-3 defeat to the Netherlands last week.
The tour, which began on July 8, featured India A playing eight matches against five highly competitive European squads. The team journeyed across three cities, challenging top ranking teams including the world's number 1, the Netherlands, and number 3, Belgium.
Reflecting on the tour's overall experience, India A coach Shivendra Singh expressed that the aim was beyond mere results. "While we might have had more losses than wins during this European Tour, it was never about the results and more about the learning and experience we gained from this tour as a team," he remarked. Singh emphasized the value of the blend of senior and junior players gaining crucial international exposure.
He confidently added, "As we head back to India, I am confident that all these players will use this valuable experience and incorporate it to better their game for all their future matches." During this exposure tour, India A contested against Ireland, France, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands, securing three victories out of their eight matches.
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