World Cup Hockey : India to take on Spain today

On Thursday, India will take on Spain in a crucial Pool B encounter of the hockey World Cup in New Delhi .

After drubbing Pakistan 4-1 in their tournament opener, Australia completely outplayed India on Wednesday night.

If pace and fitness was all about Australia, world number three Spain is known for its flair and one-touch hockey and the Indian defence cannot afford to relax at any moment and repeat the mistakes they committed against Australia.

A defeat on Thursday will severely dent India's semifinal chances.

The Indian forwardline, which missed the banned Shivendra Singh, completely looked off-colour on Tuesday with Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur doing very little to prove their presence in the game.

But with the two-match suspension ruling Shivendra out of the next match, the trio of Deepak, Prabhjot and captain Rajpal Singh will have to rise to the occasion and come out with more innovative ideas to beat the Spanish defence.

The Indians will also have to do away with their perennial habit of holding on to the ball for longer, a mistake which proved costly against Australia.