'Dipsan will boost Indian junior hockey team's defence'

India Under-21 hockey team's defender Harmanpreet Singh said on Tuesday that fellow rearguard man Dipsan Tirkey will boost the defence unit of the team in the Volvo International U-21 men's tournament.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on July 18 here with six teams and is to be played in a round-robin format. India take on Germany in the opening match of the tournament, which ends on July 25.

Harmanpreet said that the team is brimming with confidence following their Sultan of Johor Cup win last year and will be looking to continuing their good form in the tournament.

"He is a huge morale booster in the defence chain and I look at him to be the key member here for the tournament. The way he tackles the opponents is amazing and I'm trying to learn these tricks from him," Haramanpreet said of Tirkey, after sweating it out at a practice session here on Tuesday.

Haramanpreet added that the team is viewing the tournament as an opportunity to fine-tune their strategies ahead of the men's Junior Asia Cup in November.

"It's a very important tournament for us as post this we will be playing the men's Junior Asia Cup 2015 in November this year and hence we have to be sure that we are in line with our strategies by that time. The team is very confident of a winning start and it will be about getting the penalty corners and converting them," he said.