CWG silver, Asian Games gold, series win in Australia make it a good year for Indian hockey

By Gaurav Kalra
For followers of modern hockey, this is a team that evokes awe. This year alone Australia have won the World Cup (beating the Dutch 6-2) and the Commonwealth Games Gold medal (beating India 4-0). This is a bunch known for its relentless aggression, supreme fitness, tactical acumen and an unmatched thirst to win. So the Indian team’s 3-1 series win over the men from Down Under in their own backyard is an accomplishment to celebrate.

“I am extremely happy with the way our team has performed in the entire series,” said captain Sardar Singh on the team’s return home on Tuesday morning. “There could be no better gift to my completion of 200 international caps than this momentous win.”

Sardar has for long been the talismanic figure in a team that has often deceived but rarely flattered. In 2014 though the script has started to change, slowly yet surely. After an underwhelming ninth place finish at the World Cup, India won silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, their first Asian games gold in 16 years in Incheon and has now pocketed a series win in Australia.

“This team looks very different,” says former national player and coach Jagbir Singh. “They have no fear unlike previous Indian teams. The tactical inputs they are receiving from the foreign coaching staff has meant those weaknesses that were earlier exposed by the opposition have been covered.”

Former India coach Michael Nobbs described the series win as “announcing India’s presence on the world stage.” Nobbs, who coached India for three years, believes the team is “ready to emerge from the shadows of its past failures," India’s victory in the series was even more creditable as they won three consecutive matches after losing the first by a substantial 0-4 margin. In the three matches that followed, India won 2-1, 1-0 and capped off a memorable week by clinching the series decider 3-1. Although Australia were missing several key players including captain Mark Knowles and star striker Jamie Dwyer, Jagbir insists that doesn’t “undermine India’s achievement in any way.”

Among the 27-member Australian squad named for the series, twelve had been part of the World Cup win and four others were in the team that won the CWG gold. Buoyed by the success, India now head for the Champions trophy in Bhubaneswar starting in less than a month. The tournament features the world’s elite eight teams. India start their campaign against Olympic gold medallists Germany and Sardar believes that the series win in Australia will act as a motivation for his team. “I am confident that the boys will perform well in the tournament,” says the soft-spoken skipper. “I would like to see them maintain the consistency and quality of their play,” says Jagbir.

“After a rigorous season with so many high-profile events, to expect them to do their best in the Champions Trophy is a bit too much. A top four finish will make me happy, a medal will be a bonus.” Quite clearly the building blocks are gradually fitting into place for “Mission Rio 2016.” Indian hockey is suddenly a happy story. New heroes are being found, junior players are showing immense promise and there is an undeniable buzz around the sport.

Over the next couple of years, the task will be to sustain this unmistakable momentum. India is learning to rekindle its romance with a sport that was once feared to be heading for oblivion.