High on form and confidence after last month’s Azlan Shah triumph, defending champion India will start as overwhelming favourites in the seven-nation Asia Cup hockey tournament thats gets underway in Kuantan (Malaysia), on Saturday.

However, India’s road to the title won’t be a cakewalk as the event will provide Asia’s top hockey nations an opportunity to book their place in the 2010 World Cup to be held in New Delhi.

India, the winners of the title twic