Let off the hook by a wasteful England, Kookaburras drag flicker Jeremy Hayward has urged his men to lift as they pursue a seventh-straight Commonwealth hockey gold.

The Kookaburras improved their Commonwealth Games record to 40-1 since the sport's 1998 introduction with a 3-2 semi-final defeat of the hosts at a heaving Birmingham University on Saturday night.

After Australia were down 2-0, a controversial Daniel Beale goal proved the difference in a gutsy comeback win.

England were seething when an appeal to reverse Beale's goal for an earlier infringement was denied on review.

But it was England's inability to convert any of their 16 penalty corner attempts that most hurt them.

With deadly drag flicker Harmanpreet Singh looming at the top of the circle, statistics show India's Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists won't afford the Kookaburras the same luxury as England did in Monday's final.

He's scored from eight of 26 penalty corner efforts, with India's overall 33 per cent strike rate putting England's 15 per cent in the shade.

Australia (16 of 36 at 44 per cent) lead the way, with Hayward (six-of-16) and Blake Govers (five-of-12) jostling for pole position whenever their side earns an opportunity.

"We leave it to the coaches to decide because if it was between me and Blake there would be a punch up I'm pretty sure," Hayward joked to AAP.

"It doesn't matter who scores though ... it's a nice little one-two punch there.

"And Harmanpreet is a world class flicker. He can do it on any day and (he's) an even better player as well."

Coach Colin Batch hopes the Kookaburras' semi-final scare was good preparation for a rematch with India, who beat Germany for Olympic bronze but lost to Australia 7-1 in group action in Tokyo.

"There was a lot of emotion in the game and it was an exceptional semi-final. Pleased to win it and give ourselves a chance," he said.

"We've got a lot of belief in the team and it's easy to say that but another thing to overcome and get to your quality."