Asian Games postponement: Indian hockey players disappointed but count on positives

Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said they were not taken aback by the announcement

The indefinite postponement of the Hangzhou Asian Games has come as a big disappointment for the majority of the country's athletes but the Indian hockey team players have taken the deferment positively, saying it will give them additional time to prepare for the continental showpiece.

The Hangzhou Asian Games, which were scheduled to take place from September 10 to 25, were on May 6 postponed indefinitely amid a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China.

The new dates of the event will be announced in near future.

Reacting to the development, veteran Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said they were not taken aback by the announcement.

"Yes, it's a disappointment but somewhere down the line we were expecting it considering the situation in China," he told PTI.

"But we want to look at it (postponement) from a positive point of view because the postponement means we will get more time to prepare for the Asian Games." The lanky custodian hopes the postponement will bring good luck for them, the way it did during the Tokyo Games, where India won a historic Olympic bronze medal after 41 years.

"We already have the experience of playing in a postponed Games (Tokyo Olympics), so we know what it takes to remain in shape.