'In the Spotlight' is a series that will profile each
of the 24 participating teams at the London Olympic Games. It will
provide a glimpse of what to expect as each squad begins its London
quest. Between now and the Olympic opening ceremony a new team will be
featured every 2-3 days. Today we feature the men's national team of
India.
The Basics:
The Indian men are
currently 10th in the FIH World Ranking. Before missing the 2008 Games
in Beijing, India had played in every Olympics since the 1928 Games in
Amsterdam. They still top the charts with a record eight gold medals and
an uninterrupted series of six titles between 1928 and 1956. The team
also has one silver and two bronze medals to their credit, but the last
time India was on the podium was more than 30 years ago in 1980 in
Moscow, when the competition was marred by the boycott of most top
nations.
India was also a force in the FIH World Cup when it was
played on natural grass, finishing third in the inaugural competition,
second in 1973 and finally winning the title in 1975. However, since
artificial turf was introduced, India’s best standing has been a modest
fifth, their worst a stunning 12th (and last) in 1986 in London and
their last four appearances have been very much lacklustre.
The Road to London:
India finished
behind Pakistan and Malaysia at the 2010 Asian Games, missing the direct
qualification for London. In the Olympic Qualifier played in Delhi, the
team was eager to avenge their traumatic non-qualification four years
earlier and won all their matches, out-scoring the other teams 44-9 and
dominating France 8-1 in the Final.
Players to Watch:
Star
midfielder Sardar Singh is a key player for the Indian team. Skillful,
efficient and tireless, he was named to the FIH All-Star Team in 2010
and 2011, was named Player of the Tournament at the Olympic Qualifier in
Delhi. He wears the Captain’s armband when Bharat Chetri is not on the
pitch. Prolific penalty-corner specialist Sandeep Singh has one of the
most powerful drag- flicks on the international scene. He scored 16
goals during the Olympic Qualifier, destroying the French defense in the
final with five goals.
Coach:
India has been coached since
2011 by Australian Michael Nobbs, a former international that played in
the 1984 Olympic Games with Ric Charlesworth and Terry Walsh. He honed
his coaching knowledge at the renowned Australian Institute of Sports,
and moved onto Japan to gain international experience. Nobbs made some
tough decisions, selecting some young skilled players over seasoned
veterans for the qualifier, and implemented a tough physical training
program to bring the fitness level of the team closer to international
standards.
Strengths:
In open
play, the danger can come from any of the Indian forwards, who are able
to dazzle the defense (and the crowd) with their skills and score
spectacular goals. Shivendra Singh, SV Sunil and Gurwinder Singh Chandi
combined to score 16 field goals at the Olympic Qualifier in Delhi.
Sandeep Singh’s lethal drag-flick is worrying enough for the opposing
defense, which will be hope to avoid conceding penalty-corners at all
costs.
Weaknesses:
Nobbs knows that his
team will not reach its potential until they can sustain their pace of
play and maintain their focus for a full match: “top teams do not give
many chances to the opposition and Indian players should curb their
habit of committing silly mistakes”.
Despite the experience of Ignace Tirkey, the Indian
defense is often overwhelmed under pressure. There is also uncertainty
around the goal-keeper position. Captain Bharat Chetri is considered the
starting keeper, but young PR Sreejesh has been called into action for
most of the meaningful matches lately, including the Final of the
Olympic Qualifier.
Crystal Ball:
The qualification for
the Olympic Games triggered a wave of enthusiasm among the Indian fans,
quick to hope that the golden days of Indian hockey are finally back.
Captain Bharat Chetri optimistically thinks that a semi-final berth is
possible. Realistically, it would be a very good result for this young
team if they finish in the top half of the field or equal their last
Olympic standings (7th in 2000 and 2004).
