Glasgow: India’s chief hockey coach Terry Walsh on Thursday warned the team against taking Wales lightly in their opening match of the men’s competition of the 2014 Commonwealth Games here on Friday.

Though India, who are World No 9, are superior than Wales, who are ranked 31st, Walsh feels that Wales can trouble them with deep defending.

Both the sides will face off for the second time in the Commonwealth Games since the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games. The Welsh team is expected to concentrate on a strong defence while the Indians will be focussing on quick attacks to start their campaign on a winning note.

“Wales will be seen full of enthusiasm but will probably play with a strong defensive mindset. The ability to create opportunities from congestion will be our major task, bringing penalty corners and then making those chances count will prove essential,” said Walsh.

“The team is well placed and focused on the game that should create a good platform for our quest to finish in the top two of our pool. I expect Wales will be a very stoic and resilient team, our fast ball movement and swift transfers will undoubtedly be major weapons for us,” he added.

Captain Sardar Singh said the whole team is pepped-up post the practice sessions and practice matches and is looking forward to a winning start.

“It will be the first time in 16 years that we will be playing against Wales and would not take the opponents lightly. I feel all the players at their respective positions are well prepared and more than ready to give this tournament a celebrating start,” he said.

Failing to qualify for the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, Wales are making a comeback in the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 12 years.

David Kettle of Wales will be the player to watch out for while for India young Akashdeep Singh, who scored five goals in the World Cup, will prove to be a major threat for Wales.

Meanwhile, Indian shuttlers started their Commonwealth Games campaign thrashing Ghana 5-0 in their opening Group B match of the mixed team event at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow on Thursday.

India dominated the proceedings right from the start as Parupalli Kashyap beat Daniel Sam 21-6, 21-16 in 27 minutes in the men’s singles match.

World Championship bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu then doubled the lead with a 21-7, 21-5 win over Stella Amasah in women’s singles.

The men’s doubles pair of Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Chopra made it 3-0 beating Emmanuel Donkor and Abraham Ayittey 21-7, 21-11 in just 22 minutes.

The women’s doubles defending champion pair Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa took barely 17 minutes to beat Evelyn Botwe and Diana Archer 21-4, 21-10.

In the last tie, singles players P.C. Thulasi and Kidambi Srikanth paired up to beat Sam and Amasah 21-5, 21-9 in the mixed doubles to seal Ghana’s misery.

India were to face Uganda later in the day.

India were also eyeing the first pair of gold medals from their judokas as Navjot Chana and Shushila Likmabam qualified for the final in their respective categories at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Chana and 19-year-old Shushila were on the verge of winning the first gold for India. Chana beat South African Daniel Le Grange in the semi-finals of the men’s -60kg category while Shushila got the better of Australian Chloe Rayner in the semi-final of the women’s -48kg category.

Shushila first beat Cameroon’s Marie Medza Effa in the Round of 16 and then got the better of Australian Amy Meyer in the quarter-final where she picked up three shidos (light penalty) but got an ippon, full point.

Chana had beaten Brandon Dodge of Wales in the quarter-final. Both Chana and Dodge were docked two penalties but the Indian got a ippon and waza-ari to make it to the semi-final. He also had a convincing win over 23-year-old Tom Pappas of Australia in the Round of 16. Chana had three shidos, minor violations, but managed two yukos to finish off in style.

However, it was the end of road for Manjeet Nandal, who lost his men’s -66kg quarter-final bout to English Colin Oates, who picked up a shido just after the first minute but finished it off with an ippon.

It has been an impressive show by Nandal who won both his bouts (Round of 32 and 16) in comprehensive fashion. The 24-year-old first beat Malta’s Jeremy Saywell by O-Soto-Gari.

Next up, Nandal got the better of Asa Weithers of Barbados. He had a shido in the first minute but also had two waza-ari to seal the bout comprehensively, entering the last eight.