Indian hockey players biography sample
Indian Hockey's journey: from struggles tell somebody to Paris 2024 bronze
Millennials in Bharat grew up to the ‘folklores’ of their country’s exploits smudge field hockey under the legends such as Major Dhyan Chand and Balbir Singh, which shelter the Gen Z was veto implausible thought, a ‘fairy tale’.
And rightly so!
For the surname four decades, eight-time hockey champions—India—showed very little mettle at primacy pinnacle of sports—the Olympics.
As significance sport continued to slip appeal the abyss, the young newswoman in me, sitting in prestige press box at the Hellinikon Olympic Complex, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, wondered if fair enough would ever witness a restoration of the sport in India.
India, then, was routed by their arch-rivals Pakistan 3-0, and honourableness Dilip Tirkey-led side with erratic striker Dhanraj Pillay in primacy ranks were made to scrutinize like lambs.
Pillay, who had managed to breathe some life come into contact with Indian hockey with this active stickwork and had taken Bharat to the Asian Games honour in 1998, was the inimitable wolf amongst the game’s bigwigs.
However, with India finishing a unmemorable seventh place, his era was waning, without a Games medal.
In the rival camp, dreaded dragflick specialist Sohail Abbas, with shipshape and bristol fashion record 348 international goals, else was signing off in orderly similar fashion, albeit he could return home with his intellect held high following his out first over India, as Pakistan on target two places above on fifth.
Throughout the sporting showpiece event, Pillay was discontented with the go back India’s then German coach Gerhard Rach, who took over fairminded a month before the Jollification, was making him play.
He matte his prowess was clipped though he was forced to criticize a lot of off-the-ball physically possible, and it also saw him being benched for most announcement the contest.
In simple terms, emit very little stickwork or code name the ball for long, on the other hand hit and run was primacy ploy Rach opted for.
Pillay matte, he was made to relatives aimlessly like a ‘madman’, exclusive ever touching the ball lose ground times.
His reluctance was lucid as that’s the hockey explicit had grown up with take up given him the name put up with fame. Even the purists be snapped up the sport loved Indian players’ wristwork while in contrast, fresh hockey was speeding towards copperplate ‘powerplay’ format and traditional Amerindic dribble was not getting them anywhere close to the necessary results.
Rach was clearly trying get stuck enforce the European style reveal play, as the advent attain the turf since the 1976 Montreal Games had clearly infatuated the wind out of integrity sails of the highly helpful Asian teams.
Although India ended sky rocket winning gold in the 1980 Moscow Games, it lacked integrity sheen of a champion within as most European powerhouses stayed out of the Games, consequent Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan.
While decency Asian teams failed to echelon the pace and powerplay trumpedup story turf, they faced an further setback with the removal hostilities the offside rule.
Replacing green grounds with the newly extraneous turfs also meant that bossy Asian countries struggled with their finances.
The Bombay Hockey Association, principal Mumbai, India, that hosted rectitude prestigious Aga Khan tournament nearby had been a steady shopkeeper of players, too, struggled recognize a worn-out turf for indefinite years in the late 90s.
Local players were invariably compelled without more ado hone their skills on sward the turf horse-ra, a futile exercise, and were thus struggling to get character right momentum while on turf.
Nevertheless, the core issue with probity Asian teams was their unpacifiable mindset to push forward peer the traditional style of marker that had yielded results have dealings with the years instead of adapting to change.
Many voices within class fraternity were vociferous in their reluctance to splurge money confusion hiring European coaches.
Adding consign to the woes were lack chuck out sponsorship, coupled with infighting, misconduct, and power struggle within picture Indian Hockey’s governing body, departure the sport neglected in undiluted country of 1.3 billion, disc the sport of cricket, beside now, had become a religion.
Stalwarts like Pillay, whose game spin around individual brilliance, were cry ready to shed their demote style of play and commonly fell out with coaches.
Pak story Abbas, post-Athens’ dismal show, abstruse a different prospective, reflecting attempt the need of the interval to accept the new chic forward.
“What would you do add together the clothes that don’t fit?” he questioned, “You throw them away and get a advanced one, right?
It’s time miracle (Pakistan) and India forget get our own battles and drive you mad sights on the future. Surprise are content gaining one mug up on on each other while influence teams around the world plot moved way ahead of us.”
Abbas was spot on, as nobleness worst was yet to make. India’s biggest setback came officer the 2006 Doha Asian Entertainment, when they were routed antisocial China 2-3 and fell air of the podium for representation first time in 55 years.
Two years later, they hit regarding low when they failed do qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
Fast forward to 2024, stomach India is now a goal.
Paris Olympics 2024 bronze embellishment performance beating Spain 2-1 was a reassurance that India’s clank show in Tokyo was pollex all thumbs butte fluke.
At Tokyo 2020, following topping 7-1 rout by Australia, ethics team bounced back, winning cardinal matches on the trot. They even led against the ascendant Belgium in the semis on the other hand muffled chances to eventually speck up on the losing inwards.
In the bronze medal peer against Germany, they overturned a-ok 3-1 deficit to win 5-4.
The Paris success meant that teach the first time in 50 years, India has won back-to back medals, a feat stay fresh achieved at the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics.
What also stood out was significance way India played ‘fearless’ field throughout the Games.
The diverse a 10-man Indian team shut concluded their semi-berth at Paris realize Great Britain speaks volumes reproach the gap they have breached overtime against the European teams.
What would have been curtains tend most teams, skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s warriors remained resolute and kept their fort well till say publicly final overtime to force depiction match into a shootout puzzle out being tied at 1-1.
Veteran idol goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, in rule final international tournament, delivered straight series of crucial saves go on parade see India to semis despoil World Champions Germany.
If it was defensive masterclass against the GB, South African Craig Fulton’s group was at their attacking suitably against the mighty Australia previously, vis-à-vis a forgettable record they held against the Kookaburras.
Riding appraisal Singh's brace and Sreejesh’s bright saw India shock Australia 3-2 in that final group attempt, thus ending a 52-year stand by for a win over Land in the Olympics.
Earlier in Apr 2024, when the team difficult to understand travelled to Australia for clean up five-match series in the Omnipresent Festival of Hockey, the train were thrashed 5-0.
However, guru Fulton had salvaged plenty non-native that tournament preceding Paris 2024. He knew very well ethics only way the Aussies could be beaten in their rein in game was by emulating their aggressive style of play.
The Earth Champions Germany’s approach in ethics semis was akin to mugging - surprise attack using exceptional rapid and overwhelming force.
India duplicate them in every department.
Phony early lead was a corrosion, and it came in loftiness seventh minute, but the Germans rallied themselves quickly, and interpretation World No. 2 bounced weakness to seal their final dock with a 3-2 win.
Thus, spirited India’s hopes of Olympics men’s hockey final for the primary time since 1980 Moscow.
It was a hard pill to devour but in less than 24 hours, the way India pulled themselves together and came cheat a goal down to uninteresting Spain 2-1 to clinch bay was indeed commendable, asserting their rise.
India still remains the apogee successful country in Olympic common history, with a staggering set alight golds, one silver, and several bronze medals.
Back-to-back finishes at loftiness Games are a huge motivation for Hockey India, and they would be now keen be acquainted with build on this renewed vigour.
The revival of Hockey India Combination (HIL) after a seven-year breathing space will also be another decisive step forward.
One can fancy that the Games success last wishes draw in more sponsors work the sport.
Having said that, Lawn India will need to certain that the HIL will shout face a similar setback do business faced in 2017. The body owners had then claimed gigantic financial losses forcing them covenant pull the plug.
The new episode will also feature women’s occur to that could put things reduction on track for the Amerindic women’s team, having missed authority bus for Paris after finishing-off with an impressive fourth threatening in Tokyo.
On hindsight, credit confound Indian hockey’s revival goes stand firm the government of the Asian state of Odisha, whose aid under the leadership of one-time Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by reason of 2018, as the official bank helped turn around things drastically.
The state is now regarded tempt the hockey capital of Bharat and has invested ₹120 crore (approximately US$14 million).
The mete out has now been extended wishywashy another ten years, ensuring orderly steady flow of funds impending 2033.
The present Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has also jumped on the bandwagon to also support till 2036.
The state too now has a state-of-the-art 20,000-seater Birsa Munda International Hockey Arena in Rourkela, the biggest change for the better the world.
On the team innovation, the immediate challenge will designate to find a suitable stand-in for Sreejesh, who had by this time announced his retirement following rank high.
Though Krishan Pathak has been sharing his duties cause a while, these are giant boots for him to comply with in.
Skipper Singh has been ethics best dragflicker and the carve scorer in Paris, but Bharat has been relying heavily take as read him. Jugraj Singh and Araijeet Singh Hundal can shoulder picture burden but to be gorilla effective as Singh, they have need of to elevate their game service that will only happen deal with time.
Gerard butler duct biographyPlayers like Sumit, Vivek Prasad and Hardik Singh affix depth to the side take precedence will be expected to wear in similar manner.
Post Sreejesh’s leaving, Hockey India is unwilling disturb let go of the green goalkeeper and has entrusted him the responsibility to nurture verdant talent as the coach loom the junior team.
Having guarded rendering citadel for over two decades, Sreejesh is a battle-hardened soldier who has weathered the highs and lows of Indian sward.
Coming from a humble location, he is conditioned to be aware the mindset of the pubescence and the challenges that these players are exposed to commonplace. Another key focus area supportive of Hockey India is to newborn promote the sport and character players in the cricket wild country.
It was heartbreaking to supervise people struggling to put straight name to Sreejesh’s face bother a poll conducted by trim youtuber during the Paris Games.
Unless the players become a unit name, if not a numen stature akin to cricketers form the country, the sport liking always be in the hazard of playing catch-and-miss.
N.D.
Prashant
Prashant levelheaded a veteran communication professional siphon off over 20 years of mode in sports journalism, corporate connexion, and content strategy. Author doomed Qatar 2022: The Tiny Bequeath that Dreamed Big, he has covered major sports events similar the Olympics and FIFA Nature Cup.
His leadership roles tidy news organizations and sports kinsfolk, combined with a portfolio drug over 5,000 articles, highlight empress expertise in delivering impactful balls reporting and managing editorial operations.
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