2-3 means four losses in five games for India

The job at hand was not beyond the team that took field today. The tournament had shown that they had international class but the absence of a proper gameplan and uninspired coaching made them look like dazed hares facing search lights.

With four coaches on the bench – including the national coach Rajinder Singh being the observer — Team India strangely lacked a strategy to win. The appointment of Ignace Tirkey as the captain, in place of the indisposed Pillay, was perhaps the only contribution from the think-tank today. An uninspiring second half and the clueless look on players’ face after the team was down 1-3 gave ample proof that there was no planning.

The youngsters who had shown a lot of pluck against Pakistan and Malaysia seemed lost. The usual defensive second-half mindset was exposed again. India’s early lead was nullified and overtaken by the marauding Koreans, who were helped in their cause by a sloppy Indian midfield, which didn’t know whether to defend or attack.

The coach can argue that he missed Dhanraj and Dhillon but it has been seen in the tournament that India’s experienced duo have failed to lead their team.

The silver lining despite the fourth loss in five matches is the fact that when the stars return to the team there will be more players on the bench to support them.

RESULTS

• South Korea beat India 3-2

South Korea (Yoon Young Sik, Yeo Woon Kon (2)

India (Len Ayyappa, Arjun Halappa)

• Pakistan drew with Malaysia 1-1

Pakistan (Sohail Abbas)

Malaysia (Kuhan Shanmuganathan)

Germany drew with Spain 4-4

Spain (Santiago Freixa (3) and Pol Amat)

Germany (Florian Kunz (2), Bjoern Michel, Benjamin Koepp