Hosts India maintained their unbeaten run with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against defending champions South Korea in their opening Super 4 stage match of the Asia Cup here on Wednesday.

Hardik Singh (8’) gave India the early lead, before Yang Jihun (12’) and Hyeonhong Kim (14’) struck in quick succession to put Korea ahead.

Mandeep Singh (52’) restored parity in the final quarter to help India secure a point.

The Indians finished Pool A engagements with an all-win record, beating China 4-3, Japan 3-2 before demolishing minnows Kazakhstan 15-0.

Meanwhile, legendary Dutch hockey coach and former High Performance Director of the Indian men’s team, Roelant Oltmans is open to working in the country again but doesn’t want a full-time assignment at this stage of his career.

The 71-year-old, who served a five-year stint with the Indian men’s team first as a High Performance Director (HPD) and then as head coach, was removed in 2017 following a string of poor performances by the national side, in particular a sixth-place finish at the Hockey World League semifinals in London.

He had then said that India is not the easiest of countries to work, especially in the sporting sector.

On Wednesday, Oltmans, who is here with the Chinese team for the men’s Asia Cup, said that while he doesn’t want to take up a full-time job, he now prefers to work as a consultant for short stints with any national team that needs his help.

“If you have a job like that (full-time coach) you have to go for long tours and long-term contracts, and I don’t want long-term stints right now. I am only focused on short-term assignments,” Oltmans told PTI in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing men’s Asia Cup.

On whether he would be open to a short-term stint with India again in future, the tactician said, “You never know, you never know.”

Oltmans came to India as an HPD in 2013 and helped in strengthening the sport at the grassroots level.

He was appointed head coach of India in 2015 and served in that position till 2017, when he was removed.

He has also worked with Malaysia and Pakistan and is currently here with the Chinese team as an assistant coach on the request of fellow Dutchman and assistant coach Michel van den Heuvel.

“Let me be very clear, there is only one coach and that’s Michel and not me. I just came here for this tournament to support him on his request. My job is to scout players,” Oltmans said.