India

UTHRA GANESAN

LAHORE, DECEMBER 4: It wasn’t supposed to be this way. After coming back to level the two-match series at home, the least expected of India was a continuation of that process. Yet the 4-0 capitulation to Spain here today that coach Gerhard Rach’s references to his team’s ‘‘world class’’ potential may have been a trifle premature.

Indeed, in their lung-opener at the Champions Trophy, India were left gasping for breath against a Spanish wave that swept more than just the Indian defence. It swept apart claims of an Indian resurgence in hockey and swept the facade off the outdated, slow-witted style of management.

For example, the lack of planning. While the other teams keep track of every move by the opponents and change their game strategy as per the developments on field, India tend to continue with their methods throughout the 70 minutes.

A European coach was expected to work out a more flexible system; it hasn’t happened yet.

While the first half saw an evenly balanced, if overcautious, game — both teams were content with sizing up the opposition and ensuring there were no lapses in their defence — the tide changed in the second half.

There was a sudden vigour among the Spanish, a complete change of gameplan, and a passion to win their first match.

Saturday’s Results

• Netherlands 5 New Zealand 2
• Spain 4 India 0
• Pakistan 3 Germany 1



‘‘We worked out a different strategy at half-time. We saw there were a lot of aerial passes, so we decided to stand halfway up the pitch and wait for the ball, be patient,’’ Spanish captain Juan Escarre said after the match.

His coach Maurits Hendriks was obviously delighted.

‘There’s no point
blaming umpire’

• Agar acchhi teams ke against itne chance miss karenge to kaise jeet sakte hain?
— India skipper Dilip Tirkey

• We missed 3-4 easy chances, there is no point in blaming the umpires
— India coach Gerhard Rach

• Perhaps we had more experience and we played with a lot more passion. There was a desire to win, and this win has given us great confidence. We did change our strategy mid-game and it paid the results.
— Spain captain Juan Escarre

• We had studied India in Chandigarh, and worked out their strengths and weaknesses
— Spain coach Maurits Hendriks



‘‘There were several flicks from the defence, especially Sandeep Singh, and we worked on it. I am proud there was not a single failure in trapping a high ball’’, he said.

In contrast, India continued with the same gameplan throughout the match, even when they were clearly outmanoeuvered.

And paid the price for being flat-footed against a team considered dangerous even by its worst critics.

The young talent was invisible. Adam Sinclair made the only scoring shot for the Indians, and that was disallowed for being too high. Sandeep Singh had apparently been working extra hours on his PC conversions but he never got a chance to test it out.

As the second half continued, Spain’s ascendance was matched by India’s nerve-ridden descent into shambles. The defence, the team’s backbone in recent times, failed to mark the opposition strikers properly. Though to their credit they didn’t concede a penalty corner.

The last 10 minutes saw three goals conceded — one a penalty stroke after Rasquinha stick-checked in front of goal — and ruled out any chance of a fightback.

Custodian Devesh Chauhan — high on confidence and playing a whole half after 26 matches — did credibly in the first half, when the Spanish were just testing waters. But he, too, fumbled when the attacks began.

Not that the team’s creative section was doing much. For much of the match it didn’t seem like India had any intention of scoring and, when they did get an opportunity, let it go waste. ‘‘Poor finishing hamari purani bimari hai’’, captain Dilip Tirkey later said.

However, the problem needs closer examination than Tirkey’s pithy observation. India need to ensure that when Adam Sinclair sounds the boards, it’s not from outside the netting.

Or when Arjun Halappa gets ball inside the shooting circle, it is the stick that must go down to trap the ball, and not himself.

Or even the basic fact that a single striker running down from the half line past two defenders is within his rights to expect someone to back him up by being in the D to receive the ball.

Many points for India to ponder over tonight, and ahead of tomorrow morning’s match against Netherlands. That will be a much sterner examination but the good news is that it can’t get any worse.

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