The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Consistency is the need of the hour

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Wednesday, Aug 03, 2005

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Sport - Hockey

Consistency is the need of the hour

S. Thyagarajan

Chennai: Shackled by the directive to keep the Junior World Cuppers off the ambit, the senior selection committee was left with no option but to shuffle the line-up for the eight-nation Rabobank Trophy hockey tournament at Amstelveen. There are seven changes to the squad that played in the Azlan Shah event in May.

A significant factor is the return of Gagan Ajit Singh and Kanwalpreet Singh. When their suspensions were lifted — predictably after raising a debate — they came under the selectors' scrutiny for the important competition in Holland. The ball is now in the court of the two players to prove that the IHF decision to rescind the ban was indeed right and in national interest. As far as credentials go, both are outstanding players and Gagan definitely strengthens the frontline.

The conclusion that the best available talent has been picked is logical to a certain extent. A majority of the 18 players are seasoned enough to face the rigours of high-voltage competition that the Rabobank Trophy is bound to generate. What the team, however, needs is a measure of self-assurance and a high level of consistency. It is time one realised that the outcome of a match is much more important than dictating terms in attack or midfield.

Chief coach Rajinder Singh (jr) has got another chance to prove his mettle and show that he is good enough to devise a strategy best suited to the team. He has a fairly experienced squad this time, unlike the Azlan Shah tournament, and should make the best use of it.

A strong, proficient midfield and attack can be developed from the potential available even though the team does not have a drag flicker of the calibre of Sandeep Singh. For the drag flicker to be effective, the frontline should exhibit speed, precision and power to force penalty corners — something that is not easy against the well organised and strategically positioned defenders of the European and Australian outfits.

Exciting prospect

Gagan adds sharpness and enterprise to the attack and the combination of Rajpal Singh, Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh and Gagan has the skill and strength to overpower any defence if it works in unison. The most exciting prospect among them is the gangling Rajpal, whose stickwork and ability to dodge the defence came in for appreciation at Kuala Lumpur during the Azlan Shah tournament.

The return of Viren Resquinha bolsters the midfield. In the absence of Vikram Pillay, the coach will be forced to give Arjun Halappa the right-half slot. The midfield, comprising Arjun, Viren, Bimal and Ignace, is strong enough, while additional inputs will be provided by the hard-working Jaswinder Singh.

Kanwalpreet should strive to strengthen the hands of skipper Dilip Tirkey in the defence, where Harpal Singh is an additional choice. If needed, the coach can even have a three-man defence — at least in the last quarter — to stem the systematic sallies from teams like Spain and Germany. Kanwalpreet is no mean hitter when it comes to penalty corners but has to be cautioned against over-enthusiasm and clumsy tackles within the 25-yard line. He is also prone to making mistakes and gifting penalty corners when there is absolutely no need for them.

Goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan is the best choice. But Rajinder should show the boldness to try and shape Bharat Chetri too instead of reducing the second goalkeeper to a mere passenger the way several other coaches have done with reserve custodians.

Rotation policy

The policy of rotating the goalkeepers for every match is not a bad idea at all. Roelant Oltmans did that with Pakistan's Alam and Akbar and the Aussies too do it systematically, giving the second goalkeeper as many chances as possible.

The confidence reposed by Gill and his team of selectors in a flicker like Didar Singh looks too optimistic. In this context one wonders about Len Aiyappa and why he stayed away from the selection trials. Aiyappa would have probably been an automatic choice had he made himself available.

Indian hockey is at a crossroads and will be put to severe test during the Champions Trophy to be held here from December 10 to 18. A decent showing in the Rabobank Trophy will go a long way in boosting the confidence of the players for the bigger battles ahead.

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