A team of Champions?

That brought out in the open the flaws in the Indian system, to which the IHF responded, eventually, by changing the coaching staff. Here’s a look at how the flaws stand today.

STRANGE SELECTION
The crux of the matter. India’s selection policy has always raised more eyebrows than optimism. The current team has an entirely new forward line from last year, raising the question of whether the players have had time to gel.

The IHF’s arbitrariness in selecting and dropping players (see box) has always evoked surprise. ‘‘We have always experimented with our team’’, says former player and coach M.K. Kaushik. ‘‘After we won the 1998 Asian Games, after a gap of 32 years, seven of the top players were ‘rested’. Last year everyone wondered about Didar Singh’s inclusion.’’

For the present tour, the 18-member squad that played against Pakistan in the Dosti series was retained without giving others a look-in, even though many in the team hardly merit attention. S.S. Sodhi led the team in 1982, he never got a chance again. Ashok Dhyanchand says: ‘‘Frequent changes break the rhythm of the team. The opposition exploits your lack of experience.’’

CHAMPS AT CHOKING
The Indians qualify for the tag of ‘‘world chokers’’, especially after what happened at Amstelveen last year. It’s not a new failing but it’s something that neither time nor foreign coaches seem to be able to cure. So much that Pakistan striker Rehan Butt now assumes he will score if he gets the ball in the last five minutes. And India’s performances this year have done nothing to dispel his belief.

‘‘The team should realize that the match goes on for entire 70 minutes’’, says former India star Ashok Kumar. ‘‘We go into a match without working out the details for the entire duration. European teams, in contrast, have a definite gameplan. While we go all out into attack and get tired soon, they play at an even pace, tire out our forwards, and then strike.’’

MENTAL MAKE-UP
The very fact that India couldn’t recover from that defeat against Holland last year shows that is proof that the team needs to sharpen and toughen its mental make-up. While a loss demoralizes any team, continued failure needs professional guidance to break the circle. ‘‘After a string of losses, our boys lose their confidence, morale, fighting spirit. At present, we pose no threat to others’’, says Ashok Kumar.

“It’s all in the mind,” says Rajinder. “Players bring their domestic, uncontrolled ways into international level,” he adds. A suspension to Dhanraj last year in the first match set the stage for a remarkable Dutch recovery.

All problems that can be sorted out with a regular sports psychologist but the IHF doesn’t appear too keen on employing one on a regular basis.

EGOS GET IN THE WAY
From the top downwards, Indian hockey seems caught in a vicious circle of ego-driven issues between players and officials, and between players from one zone and those from another. Things are bad enough if India win, and they get worse when India lose. The IHF seems unwilling to let any player take centrestage. “But you need stars to popularise the game, and you also need to stick with a team for sometime before it gives any results,” says Kaushik.

After India’s Asia Cup win last year, the Dhanraj-Rajinder tiff came out in the open. This year at Athens, Prabhjot Singh spoke out to the media against coach Gerhard Rach. The performers may change; the script remains the same.

SS SODHI : SELECTOR
‘We have talent, need team spirit’

Surender Singh Sodhi captained India to their only podium finish in the Champions Trophy, third in 1982 in Amstelveen. It’s a performance India have failed to repeat ever since. Sodhi’s now a member of the IHF selection committee, and so well qualified to offer reasons why

How was the tournament back in 1982?
It’s the toughest tournament in world hockey, because only the six best teams compete. There are no weak teams or easy matches, every match is like a final. So we had to concentrate equally hard on every opponent. But it was a team effort

What were the advantages that helped the team win?
Short-corner conversions. We had a specialist like Rajinder Singh in our side, who scored a hat-trick against Pakistan. His presence made a huge difference, since having someone who can convert penalty corners effectively raises the team’s strength by almost 70 per cent. Sohail Abbas is the difference between Pakistan and the rest today, the same with Holland or Australia.

How do you rate the present Indian team?
The team is good, but we still lack a penalty corner specialist. India has failed to perform well ever since Jugraj went off the scene. Also, the team needs to understand that the first and last five minutes are the most important in a match. Almost all the reversals happen in these moments only.

Why do you think this continues to be the case with India?
The coach should make the players aware of the fact. He needs to plan beforehand and make sure his players stick to the plan and realize the importance of the first and last few minutes. Last year kar sakte the, but we lost in crucial moments. Hopefully the German coach has worked on this.

We have finished fourth in a row thrice now. Can we expect to rise above this?
Yes, if some things are taken care of. The talent is there, but we need to play with the same team spirit as against Pakistan in the recent Test series. The most important thing for a team’s success is for its players to click well together. If that happens, if there is proper co-ordination among the players, we can expect to finish in top tree.

Uthra Ganesan

THE MISSING LINKS

To win the one elite trophy that has always eluded them, India travel to Pakistan minus five key players. And, in some cases, the exclusion is shrouded in mystery, cloaked in officialese…

Dhanraj Pillay

USP: The face of Indian hockey for more than a decade, a one-man army. Has the skills to get past the best defence, set up goals from impossible angles and rally the team when things go awry. A strong character on the field and off it
OFFICIAL REASON: Out of the team since Athens for “poor form”
UNOFFICIALLY: Messrs Pillay and Gill haven’t exchanged Diwali cards for some years now…
REPLACEMENT: None

Gagan Ajit Singh

USP: The fox in the box, has scored more goals with his trademark reverse-flick inside the shooting circle than any Indian player in recent times. Architect of India’s dream 7-4 victory against Pakistan in the league match in last year’s Champions Trophy, holds the record for most goals scored by an Indian against the rivals till date
OFFICIAL REASON: Out since Athens, declared “out of form” by IHF
UNOFFICIALLY: Disciplinary action after his outburst against the coach
REPLACEMENT: Adam Sinclair

Prabhjot Singh

USP: The most naturally talented amongst India’s famed forward line in the last couple of years
OFFICIAL REASON: Lack of form
UNOFFICIALLY: Above, plus his outburst against coaches during Olympics
REPLACEMENT: Arjun Halappa

Jugraj Singh

USP: The drag-flick expert. Key part of India’s sequence of wins in 2003
OFFICIAL REASON: Unfit, yet to recover from motor accident soon after Champions Trophy last year
UNOFFICIALLY: Same as above
REPLACEMENT: Sandeep Singh

Deepak Thakur

USP: Quick thinking inside the shooting circle, neat passes, can set up more goals for others than scoring himself
OFFICIAL REASON: Fitness; he was hospitalised for chest pain during the Olympics
UNOFFICIALLY: Same as above
REPLACEMENT: Sandeep Michael

UG