Top-ranked India will look to assert their continental supremacy with a second women’s hockey gold in the Asian Games when they open their campaign against lowly Singapore here on Wednesday. Placed seventh in the world, India are the top-ranked team in the competition ahead of defending champions and world No.10 Japan. The Savita Punia-led side would look for redemption when it opens its campaign against Singapore in the Pool A match. Going by form and rankings, the Indians are considered title favourites but in Japan, world No.11 China, and world No.12 Korea, some tough opponents await them on their way to ultimate glory. But since their historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian women are on a high under chief coach Janneke Schopman and would be gunning for gold, which will give them a direct ticket to Paris in the ongoing Games.
