India upbeat before the turf war

The weather gods, too, have been kind to the Indians. After the heat and humidity at Lucknow, the players are enjoying the cooler climes of the Netherlands. As a team member said the ‘‘high altitude training at Barog will come in handy here.’’ After a tough session on field Indian coach Rajinder Singh said, ‘‘We are well-prepared but one can’t relax in an elite tournament like this.’’

There is another happy face wearing the Indian colours. Gagan Ajit Singh, besides talking about the goals he has set himself for the Champions Trophy, can’t hide the excitement of being on this year’s Arjuna Award list. ‘‘It has made me all the more motivated to do well here,’’ he says with a smile.

There was more good news for the Indians as they saw the familiar face of Dr Joginder Singh. A Germany-based NRI doctor, who offers his services to the Indian team whenever they are in Europe, will once again be part of Team India in Holland.

The mood at the team hotel was that of bonhomie as players were seen interacting freely just days before the actual turf war begins. The upbeat Pakistani team was at an adjacent turf preparing itself for a practice match against Holland to be played tomorrow.

The anticipation at Amstelveen, a suburb outside Amsterdam, is hard to miss. Considering the awesome record that the home team has at the Wegener Stadium, the locals are not used to losing. As one presents the paper at the immigration counter, the middle-aged official gives his tip for the Champions Trophy. ‘‘From India, well best of luck. But Holland will be the winner,’’ he says.