India, July 22 -- The Indian shooting contingent will have one final opportunity to measure itself against the world's best before turning its focus to the Asian Games when it competes at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, China, beginning on Wednesday.

More importantly, the tournament offers India a valuable chance to assess its progress against continental powerhouse China, whose dominance in international shooting continues to set the benchmark. With the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya less than two months away (September 19-October 4), the Hangzhou World Cup assumes added significance.

Competing in Asia, under conditions similar to those expected at the continental showpiece, will provide Indian shooters with crucial match practice while a...