Tuesday, Aug 12, 2003
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Hockey
By S. Thyagarajan
This is not a little due to the twin triumphs in Australia and Germany. Minor though in scale in the context of the parameters that determine the ratings in the higher echelons of competitions, the victories, nevertheless, succeeded in attracting the eye of a major sponsor like Sahara-India, apart from prompting a deluge of media attention, which the sport tragically lacked all these years. The Indian team has realised the importance of success more than ever after the return from Hamburg, where even a defeat against Germany did not hinder its march towards a trophy triumph. That there is a good deal of optimism needs to be accepted; but not to be forgotten is the fact that this mood of well-being can be so fragile that a reverse can demolish the goodwill in no time. The statement by the Chief coach, Rajinder Singh, on the eve of the team's departure, that climbing the ladder is a slow and difficult process is doubly welcome at this juncture. He knows best about how intense and complex the quality of competition in an event like the Champions Trophy is, even though a speck of monotony has crept into the system. Germany's decision to field a second string outfit is but one example of how major powers are slowly losing interest in the elite competition. Be that as it may, India needs to consolidate the gains accrued in Australia and Germany so as to continue the link of successes. A victory, or a sequence of it in the Champions Trophy — India faces the Olympic and the defending champion in the opening encounter and then the World Champion, Germany — will carry tremendous weight. It is unfortunate that the squad, which performed as a cohesive unit, should be without the talented Sandeep Michael. Sandeep had been used only in very brief spells, totally inadequate for his proficiency. That Sandeep has been replaced for the Champions Trophy by a rookie, Deedar Singh, certainly raises many eyebrows. An event as big as the Champions Trophy is not the venue to blood an untried and inexperienced raw talent in preference to the already tested and tried youngsters who are left in the lurch after being part of the circus continent after continent. The names of Arjun Halappa, Tushar Khandekar, and Prabhodh Tirkey readily come to mind. It is difficult to identify Deedar Singh's credentials that had impressed the coaches. The defence and mid-field have consistently established their value thanks largely to the extremely hardworking and gifted adivasi talent headed by the indomitable Dilip Tirkey, with pivot Bimal Lakra and left-half Ignace Tirkey. Viren Resquinha has added a lot more punch and precision to the mid-field along with Vikram Pillay. Another outstanding talent in this segment is Vinay, who will suffer purely on account of the presence of the seasoned wing-half Baljit Singh Saini. That the chief coach Rajinder Singh relies on this veteran more than anyone in the team needs no reiteration. While talking about defence, the value of Kanwalpreet Singh and Jugraj, especially when he touches accuracy, must be noted. It goes without saying that the work of the frontline hinges heavily on the support from the mid-field. But the forwards have shown a despicable tendency to be flippant, guilty of wasting well-conceived moves engineered by the half-line. For all the hype going around about the deeds of Gagan Ajit Singh, the fact remains that he missed many chances during the Australian and German tours. Gagan's inconsistency worried Rajinder Singh a great deal and the coach persisted with his favourite player until he began to find the target. And what more, Gagan was declared the Player of the Tournament in Hamburg. Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh also miss chances while going for fancy shots, thus letting go to waste the efforts put in by the midfield. The strength really rests on the twin forwards, Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon, although the latter looks palpably inhibited while working closely with the skipper. Baljit Singh gives the impression of being more at home working along with Saini from behind and with Deepak and Prabhjot Singh. It is the best collection of frontline players, but one that does not always work in harmony. Chances have to be seized when they arise. If everyone in the frontline realises this fact, then there is a reasonable hope for the team to aim for a podium finish.
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