Indian men start quest for elusive hockey gold

September 19, 2014 02:14 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 07:00 pm IST - Incheon

Hockey players cut a cake during a send-off ceremony for Indian Men and Women Hockey teams ahead of the 2014 Asian Games, in New Delhi. File photo

Hockey players cut a cake during a send-off ceremony for Indian Men and Women Hockey teams ahead of the 2014 Asian Games, in New Delhi. File photo

India starts the favourite for the gold medal in the Asian Games men’s hockey competition starting on September 20. This is because India has the best record in Asia this year.

It was not a shining one by any stretch of imagination, but India performed better than Korea and Malaysia even as Pakistan, the defending champion, was languishing on the sidelines owing to internal problems.

India finished ninth at the World Cup and secured the silver at the Commonwealth Games, while Malaysia ended last at The Hague and 10th in London. Even Korea managed only a 10th spot at The Hague losing to India.

Any endeavour at predicting an outcome of a competition is likely to go awry. This is specially so here when the new four-quarter format comes into effect. One positive factor that supports India’s chances relates to the quality and extent of training under the coaches Roelant Oltmans and Terry Walsh.

Will India be under pressure to perform? It is imperative for the team to emphasise that it is the best in the continent to be sure for the automatic berth for the 2016 Olympics.

Everything revolves around the accomplished mid-fielder Sardar Singh. It is for the rest to give a helping hand to this doughty warrior who has never failed the team.

Efficient assistance from seniors such as Gurbaj and Lakra, with adequate inputs from Manpreet and Mujtaba, can galvanise the front-line. Then it is left for Sunil, Chandi and Akashdeep to bring everything to fruition.

Apart from India, it could be Pakistan, Malaysia and South Korea in the semifinal line-up with a possibility of an upset entry by Japan.

Pakistan resurgence A Pakistan resurgence is on the cards with veterans such as Muhammad Imran (captain), Muhammad Ifran and Shakeel Abbasi and youngsters Tausiq with Umar Butta.

The reverses at the World Cup and CWG have a big impact in Malaysian hockey. Coach Dharmaraj paid the price and a major shuffle took place. Under the new mentor, Arul Selvaraj, the team is fighting against the odds to convince the fans back home what happened was only a passing phase.

Under conditions best suited to their system and style, Koreans do enjoy an upper hand. They were surprisingly innocuous in recent tournaments. The recovery may well come up here. Always a difficult customer, Japan is ever ready to come up with surprises. Add China also in this category.

Bangladesh and Oman are the two qualifiers.

An intense battle for the medals is set to begin when Japan opens the campaign against Bangladesh.

The Pools:A: Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Bangladesh; B: Pakistan, India, Oman, China and Sri Lanka.

Saturday’s matches:Men: Japan vs Bangladesh (9.30 a.m. IST); Malaysia vs Singapore (11.30 a.m.); Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (1.30 p.m.); Oman vs China (3.30 p.m.).

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