Indian hockey has its own ‘Wall’ in Dilip Tirkey. The soft-spoken skipper has a fierce, silent intensity about him that inspires confidence, an unflappable temperament and solidity that reassures his teammates.
At a time when India is short of world class players in the game, the 27-year-old veteran of three Olympics stands out. ‘‘He is a world class defender and a fine human being,’’ says Pakistan’s Sohail Abbas.
Having survived a hair-line fracture on his right cheek off an Abbas drag-flick at Delhi, Tirkey’s injury has reignited debate on protection for defenders during penalty corners.
While in cricket, batsmen and close-in fielders have all kinds of protection in the form of helmets for safety, facing the deadly drag-flicks from the likes of Abbas or Dutchman Taeke Taekema is altogether a different challenge.
With no helmet or protective mask or glove and only a stick in hand, a defender faces undue risk against the hard high-speed ball. He needs to be alert, quick to avoid the ball and at the same time save the citadel.
Ask Tirkey about that nightmarish experience and he simply says: ‘‘I was lucky.’’ But that injury could not make him skip the last test in Hyderabad. ‘‘I cannot desert my boys. When I’m fit, I thought, ‘why don’t I play’,’’ he explains with a smile. He played the full game and guided the team to a consolation win.
Though Tirkey is not the charger during penalty corners, he agrees they are dangerous for a defender. ‘‘It is a dangerous position,’’ he says. But he has no clear views about the drag-flick. ‘‘We need to make a few adjustments and take necessary precautionary measures like wearing masks or something which safeguards the players,’’ he says.
On the positive side, Tirkey is confident of the youngsters in the team. ‘‘Give them a chance. I’m confident these boys have the talent to play good, solid hockey. I think these boys should be given the confidence. What I like about them is that they have a never-say-attitude and the fighting qualities,’’ he says.
About India’s age-old problem of conceding last minute goals, Tirkey says, ‘‘We are looking into this aspect seriously. Somehow, if there is one small lapse, we concede a penalty corner. This is what we want to avoid. I’m sure with more practice we can overcome it.
Tirkey says the forwards should also learn to capitalise on chances. ‘‘We cannot afford to miss even half a chance in international hockey. The forwards should do target practice in the camps to hone that skill.”
‘‘There are the Asian Games and the World Cups ahead of us. We should start preparing for the future from now. At present we may have a chance to play in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. It will be a good opportunity to play against the best teams and gain confidence,’’ he feels.
And the diplomat that he is, Tirkey avoids comments on German coach Gerhard Rach who has faced tge ire of many Indian internationals in recent times. ‘‘You should judge. Not me,’’ Tirkey says.