India goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak feels playing in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey is not only helping in preparing for the Hangzhou Asian Games but it will also benefit teams at Paris Olympics as it will use the same Poligras turf.
Asked about the new turf being laid at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium here, on which the ACT is being played, he said that the Indian team will have to get used to playing on the surface fast, as the “same turf would also be used” in Paris next summer. Poligras Paris GT zero is described as a carbon zero hockey turf, made from 80 percent biobased material sugarcane. Its water absorbent properties means lesser water than before needs to be used in its upkeep. When asked about playing in ACT before the Asian Games, he said, “Whatever tournament I have played till date, all have been special for me. Every tournament’s preparation is different, be it the Pro-League, or the ACT. Even preparations for the Asian Games would be different.
The teams that would be participating in Hangzhou are the ones featuring in the ACT. There would be a couple of extra teams, probably Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. “So, overall, it would only benefit us from this tournament as to how can we prepare against them once we head to China.” The 26-year-old from Kapurthala, Punjab, has been featuring for India quite consistently. He completed his 100 international appearances for the side during the Asian Champions Trophy.
Pathak said that despite his being such a long journey, he keeps learning new things every day. After the ACT, India will be featuring in the Asian Games, where a gold medal guarantees a berth at the Paris Olympics. “Our first focus is to qualify for the (Paris) Olympics through the Asian Games. Only after we have secured it, we will dream or think about playing at the grandest stage.”
