Even minus the flair,it adds up for Services

Seen from the top-angle and you need to climb to a real vantage-spot to get the top-view if you are at a basketball event...

Seen from the top-angle and you need to climb to a real vantage-spot to get the top-view if you are at a basketball event the Services team will be a single file of identical crew-cuts,making it difficult to distinguish one individual from another as they go about the job of playing ball,and remaining unbeaten at the Senior Nationals.

Like their short-crops,the Services style of basketball too is efficient and shorn off all frills. In fact,were it not for Indias star play-maker Sambhaji Kadam and his lightning passes,the Services game could be said to be light in style,heavy on method.

On Monday,they beat Chattisgarh 83-55 in the quarter-final game,with a typically efficient show. They now play Railways in the semi-finals.

Based out of 1 Army HQ,Delhi,the dourness works unfailingly for the armed forces team defending champions and the team to beat here. Focusing exclusively on clockwork combination with little leeway for individual flair and no real need for it either the Services men are marching along towards yet another title. Not expressly gifted,it is a bunch that makes up for its visibly average skills with their superior stamina and resilience.

People in the audience might not like their style of playing and find their winning boring,but theres something to be said about how they relentlessly stick to basics,and how dogged they are in defence, says Indias Serbian coach Alexander Bucan. It takes discipline,he adds,and an extreme commitment to the team to curb individual-games and stick to the plan. If the Nationals are any reflection of success,Services are doing everything right.

But much has changed within the Services squad in the last five years. It was a transition enforced upon what is known as Indias precision team,after other departmental teams swooped to pick the countrys tallest men offering better pay-cheques and the teams exclusive reliance on the towering-centre went down.

Now,we prefer being all-rounders no fixed positions,everyone playing both inside and outside, says captain Sweeto Francis. The games become faster around the world,and Services fell into pace with the global trend,as the average height of the team dropped by a couple of inches.

Story continues below this ad

Dalip Singh,one of the best pivots in the country,and Jairam Jat,an influential power forward,combine with Kadam a blitzy player whose passes out-gun his reputation. But even Kadam,known as Sambaa in basketball circles,has weaved in his inventiveness around the teams plans,though it took the rest of them some time to get accustomed to his decoy passes. Theyre very high on stamina. Its impossible to out-run them. All four quarters they go full-throttle,and its difficult to plot against them in the final quarter, says Railways coach Ramkumar,a day before their semi-final clash.

It helps that they train together 365 days unlike other teams and that discipline and strict following of orders is never compromised upon. Youll rarely see them lounging around in the stands after a game,or even joking amongst themselves. As the captain says,Not winning is not an option. And we dont like excuses.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More