India ready for Dutch treat

After the Olympics and the Asian Games, the Champions Trophy for me, is the most exciting tournament in hockey. Sure, each year the team plays a lot of other events, but this event is about the very best teams in the game.
For that very reason, a performance in this event is what I consider as the true indicator of a team’s strength. India is currently riding a wave of optimism, that has been somewhat hyped up following victories in Australia and Hamburg.But I personally will not put those title wins anywhere near, if India even manages a top three here in Amsterdam. Our best has been a third place at this very venue. But that was way back in 1982. It’s been 21 years since.
The Indians will be pitted against the very best, including the Olympic champions the Netherlands, World Cup winners Germany, Australia, Pakistan and Argentina. On a given day, each of them is simply unbeatable. But then, one might counter, so is India. But India’s ability to maintain a consistent level is much less than some of the above mentioned teams. On the positive side, I must admit that this current Indian side is looking quite good. They have combined well, scored well and defended well.
But we must guard against a couple of weaknesses, which the world has come to associate us with. For one, we need to keep the cylinders firing for all 70 minutes, and then make good even the half chances that come our way. Finally, the team cannot afford to relax even in the last five or 10 seconds. Many a time we have lost in that last few moments.
Who can forget the last three minutes of India’s match against Poland at the Sydney Olympics, when a semi-final berth looked so close. India were already the Asian Games champions at that time and an Olympic medal to go with it could have changed the face of Indian hockey. Of course, along with the players’ performance a lot else needs to stay top class, but that’s something we will not discuss here, because my views on that are well known.
Coming to hockey itself, it is going through an identity crisis. The world body as well as the top federations of Europe need India and Pakistan to do well and stay among the best. For it is the charm of seeing Indian artistry against European muscle that excites the hockey fan. Also, it is well known despite lack of success, hockey ignites a lot of passion back home in India. The expectations after Sydney and Hamburg in the last few months have been further raised by monumental sponsorship. Imagine now, if India wins Champions Trophy and maybe even a medal at Olympic Games. That would give cricket a run for its money.
(Former India captain Pargat Singh, will be writing exclusively on India’s matches in Amstelveen)