IHF president KPS Gill is flanked by Jugraj Singh (left) and Rajinder Singh and Gagan Ajit Singh.

Chief coach Rajinder Singh attributed India's fine showing in the three-nation Hockey Australia Men's Challenge to "team-work" and said he is looking to carry on the good work to next year's Olympics in Athens.

"Our showing in Australia is no doubt a big morale booster, but our primary aim is the Athens Olympics... and we have still a long way to go," Rajinder Singh said as the Indian team returned from Australia to a rousing reception in Delhi on Tuesday.

"We have to be very focussed to achieve our target and need to prepare really hard for that," he said.

India finished runners-up to Australia in the first-leg of the tournament in Perth but won the second-leg in Sydney.

Rajinder Singh said India's fine performance Down Under was possible due to the induction of several members of the junior World Cup-winning team.

"The juniors and seniors gelled well to form effective combinations. That helped our cause a lot in Australia as they played like a team and made our victory possible," he said.

India were unlucky to lose the Perth final as Australia scored an "opportunistic" goal in the last minute to emerge 2-1 winners.

However, a week later, India settled scores with the hosts when they thrashed them 5-3 after an engrossing battle.

Photograph: Ranjan Basu/Saab Press