A podium finish is a realistic estimate for India in the hockey competition at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. As the silver medallist in the last edition in Delhi, the players should strive to provide the followers with some hope that the sport is not fading away from memory.
Coming as the CWG does within weeks after the World Cup it should help the team maintain the spirit and the modicum of rhythm displayed.
The 16-member squad is stronger than it was at The Hague. There is consensus that the Indians were on the threshold of victory in at least two matches but unlucky to be winkled out in the final seconds.
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In modern sport, the eventual result cannot be explained away convincingly with such consolations, of course.
Before departure for Glasgow, skipper Sardar Singh said: “We showcased at the World Cup that we have the capabilities to give any team a tough time.”
He is right, but that is history.
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Root cause of fiasco
The failure to function as a homogenous unit was the root cause of the fiasco at World Cup. Everything centred around Sardar and goal-keeper Sreejesh.
The rest were mediocre and inconsistent. Unless everyone peaks in putting up a collective effort, the result is bound to be negative.
Individually assessed, every player in the current team is capable of a decent show. The return of Danish Mujtaba, Ramandeep and Nikkin Thimmiah is confidence enhancing.
The pillar of strength remains the midfield, managed always by the super fit Sardar, assisted by Kothajit and Gurbaj Singh.
In attack, the team will have to depend heavily on the finishing abilities of Akashdeep. However, his task may be made easier by Guruvinder Singh Chandi, and Nikkin. The big question again is how effectively the attack can combine to pose a threat.
Another area that demands greater proficiency is penalty corners. Acknowledged as the best available, the duo of Rupinderpal and Raghunath neither measured up to the expectations, nor did credit to their reputations at the World Cup. Both must now succeed to add value to the team.
Predictably, the side will face a stiff challenge from Australia, the defending champion, on July 29. The 8-0 drubbing the team received in the summit clash of the last edition is still fresh in memory.
The other two in the pool, Scotland and South Africa, cannot also be taken lightly in a high-voltage competition.
India meets Wales in the opening match on July 25 in Pool A. A big win against Wales will set the team into positive rhythm.
The onus to accomplish this is on the coach, Terry Walsh. The Aussie genuinely believes that the team is on the path to recovery and will emerge as a force in contemporary hockey.
“The preparatory camp was productive as it helped to work on the areas that the team was lacking in. The team is all pepped up and confident of performing well in the Games ahead. We are sure that we will end the tournament on a high note and take the form onto the Asian Games,” Walsh said before departure.
Rhetoric apart, Terry Walsh’s statement underlines an appeal to the players to lift them for a show to square up to the expectations of the huge supporters.
The pools: A: Australia, India, Wales, South Africa and Scotland.
B: Canada, England, Malaysia, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago.
India’s fixtures: July 25: vs Wales (1:30 p.m. IST); July 26: vs Scotland (8:30 p.m.); July 29: vs Australia (6:30 p.m.); July 31: vs South Africa (8:30 p.m.).