Faridabad, Jul 22 (IANS): Hockey India president and former captain Dilip Tirkey is confident in the team’s ability to secure a gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Indian team has a very rich and successful past which has seen them become the most decorated side in Olympic history. The team has won 12 medals (8 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze) for the country, making it the most successful sport for the country at the Games.

"The team composition looks good. We have a strong defending quality and solid strikers who aim to give their best. We all know what Sreejesh is capable of and the goalkeeping will be led by him. Harmanpreet Singh's performance has been on the notch in the last few years. So we expect a medal from them and I am sure that the colour will be gold. We are going to give a tough fight,” Tirkey told reporters at the ‘Glory of Five Rings’ event on Monday.

The Indian hockey team ended the country’s 41-year-long wait to achieve their first hockey medal since the 1972 Munich Olympics when they won a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Being the most successful team in hockey, the pressure will surely be on India as they face very tough opposition in defending champions Belgium, World No.3 Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland in the Pool B fixtures of the tournament at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.

"Indian team have reached Paris and will play their first game against New Zealand on July 27. The Indian team has been performing very well ahead of the Olympics. After the 2023 World Cup, the team has done well in Asian Games and Asian Championships. Coach Craig Fulton has been working hard with the core squad," he added.