"Our preparations are going really well and every player is giving his 100 per cent on the field during practice. Sharing the same campus as the senior team has been the biggest boon because we have been able to get a lot of match practice against them."

Vivek told Hockey India adding, "We also spend a lot of time talking to the seniors about playing under pressure and then experiences they share is valuable."

"No doubt it will be a tough competition but we will continue to go by the mantra of taking one-match-at-a-time. Our first priority will be to top the group and make it to the Quarter Finals," said Vivek who is part of the Junior Men's Core Probable's Group for the World Cup.

The midfielder that all the players are highly motivated and are eager to play on their home ground in Bhubaneswar. "Though there won't be any spectators, yet there is a lot of excitement among the players to just experience the facilities in Kalinga Stadium.

"Personally, for me too, I never had the opportunity of playing in the 2016 FIH Junior Men's World Cup as I had suffered an injury and eventually never made the team. I am really looking forward to use my experience with the Senior team to play my best hockey at Bhubaneswar. Our focus is to make it to the podium," he added.

Hosts and defending Champions India are grouped in Pool B along with Canada, France and Poland. The other teams in the tournament fray include Belgium, Malaysia, South Africa and Chile in pool A,
Netherlands, Spain, Korea and the United States grouped in pool C while Germany, Argentina, Pakistan and Egypt are in Pool D.