Winners of the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos five years ago, India have since then been indifferent in fielding their best squad for this competition, which suffered from lack of enthusiasm among the continent's hockey elite.
After two editions of the annual event were not conducted in 2014 and 2015, the Asian Champions Trophy got a boost from the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) decision to include it in the qualification system for future Olympics and World Cups.
Fielding their best-available squad that was marred by a spate of injuries, India's billing as the hot favourites could put them under pressure.
Twice defending champions Pakistan, who are the best performing team in the Asian Champions Trophy's short history, and former Asian champions South Korea will be eager to pull off a surprise against the higher-ranked opponents.
Indian team coach Roelant Oltmans has implored his side for positive results in this outing.
"Our quarterfinal ouster in the Olympics was a disappointment, but it has instilled a belief in the players that they can match the best in the world. Now, Indian hockey fans will be looking for some good results," says Oltmans.
By virtue of their Asian Games gold medal, India were the only Asian team to feature in the Olympic Games and their preliminary pool victory over eventual Olympic gold medalists Argentina was the spotlight for PR Sreejesh-led side.
Memory of his penalty stroke-saving deeds of the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy final still fresh, captain Sreejesh is keen to give a thanksgiving present to the Indian hockey supporters who have kept the belief even in times of despair such as India's bottom spot in the 12-team Olympic competition in 2012 and the failure to even qualify for the Olympic Games four years earlier.
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India are eager to prove that injury-caused absence of their playmaker Manpreet Singh and livewire right winger S V Sunil has not blunted their strike-power.
Also missing from the squad is seasoned defender V R Raghunath.
Manpreet's absence will see the return of former captain Sardar Singh to the centre-half postion, while the experienced Birender Lakra will return from his injury-forced absence to step into Raghunath's position.
Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh, who were originally rested, were recalled to the squad after Sunil failed to recover from the wrist injury he sustained during the Olympics.
It was in this year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia that junior team captain Harmanpreet Singh impressed the coach so much that he got picked for the Olympic squad.
India launch their campaign against Japan tomorrow, while defending champions Pakistan take on hosts Malaysia on the opening day. South Korea and China, the other two participants, get into action on Friday.
The feature of the round-robin league competition will be the India-Pakistan encounter on Sunday, where the defending champions will be eager to avenge their loss at the Incheon Asiad title encounter.
Pakistan's campaign here had a tottering start with captain Mohammad Irfan failing to make it to Kuantan. Reportedly unable to retrieve his passport from another embassy, Irfan was not with the Pakistan team that landed in Malaysia and now he has been left out of the tournament altogether.
Irfan has now been replaced as captain by Fareed Ahmed, the highest capped member of the squad with 207 appearances for Pakistan.
In 2013, when India sent their under-21 side, they did not even feature in the final. India have one gold and one silver medal, beside the fifth-place in 2013.
Hosts Malaysia have consistently got the bronze medal in all three editions.