Mumbai: India hockey coach Jose Brasa always stressed on the importance of winning the Champions Challenge tournament to avoid being in a ‘tough’ group for the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi. So even as the team finished third behind New Zealand and Pakistan, the result has put the hosts in a group that consists of Champions Trophy winners

Australia, Olympics silver medallist Spain and arch-rivals Pakistan in Pool B. England and South Africa are the other two teams comprising in the group, it was announced on Tuesday.

Trying not to sound too anxious, drag flicker Sandeep Singh feels neither group is tough, ‘though Pool B will be a slugfest’. “It’s a very exciting pool. We’ll play teams like Australia and Spain early on in the tournament which might work in our favour in further stages. But we have to play out of our skins,” he told DNA.

Adding that playing Pakistan would be very exciting in front of home crowd, Sandeep said: “Pakistan is always exciting opponent to play. But we have to be wary of Australia and Spain too.”

Former captain and present member of the International Hockey Federation Rules Board Pargat Singh said India’s progress will be in their own hands. “On our day, we can beat any given team. But as of today, we can’t say we will be in the semifinals so our performance has to improve drastically. Having said that, we should take one match at a time and use the home conditions to our advantage,” Pargat said.

Pargat pointed out that the team looked scattered in the Champions Trophy and have to work on that. “From whatever I saw, I felt our defence looked weak and attack looked listless at times. There is a lot of work to do and I hope team will be ready for the big day,” said Pargat.

Sandeep did not travel with the team for the Champions Challenge tournament in Argentina due to an injury. He feels the team missed chances they should have converted in the semifinals against Pakistan. “I saw those two games (Pakistan and bronze medal play off against Argentina) and felt we could have won against Pakistan. But we looked a solid unit,” remarked Sandeep, who was replaced by Rajpal Singh as the captain last month. “But the four-nation tournament planned in January will be very important for us. It will be a final chance for us to judge ourselves.”

Top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals. Group A consists of defending champions Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada and Argentina.

India’s record againstPool B rivals in World Cup

vs Australia: Played: 6; Won: 1; Drawn:1; Lost: 4

vs England: Played: 6; Won: 3; Drawn:1; Lost: 2

vs Spain: Played: 4; Won: 2;Drawn:1; Lost: 1

vs Pakistan: Played: 4; Won: 2; Drawn: 0; Lost: 2

Yet to play South Africa