x5

India

India must stick to the Asian style of play instead of following the European teams if it wants to dominate the game again, legendary Pakistani hockey player Akhtaar Rasool has said.

"The problem is same with both India and Pakistan. We tend to be fascinated by the way Europeans play and drift away from our own style. That's doing no good to the game in the subcontinent," Pakisan's former captain Rasool, who was here in connection with the staging of the seven-match veteran Test series between India and Pakistan, said.

India, who dominated the world for decades winning eight Olympic and one world title, are going through a lean phase and have failed to win any major championship for almost 25 years.

The Asian giants, whose last major title came way back in 1980 in the Moscow Games, are making all efforts to revive their sagging fortunes, but have failed in their endeavour so far despite appointing German Gerhard Rach as their first foreign coach.

The centre-half, who played in the 1970s and 80s, said despite losing against minnows like France in recent times, India still holds their position as one of the leading teams of the game, but they must do the basics right to win consistently.

"We have our own style, but now the players are not too keen to follow that. There is no more body-dodge, short passes and return passes. The day we again lay stress on such aspects, we will come closer to getting back our old position," said Rasool. PTI

Rate This Article

Select Here  5 Stars  (Best Rating)   4 Stars   3 Stars   2 Stars   1 Star  (Worst Rating)

Your opinion counts.
Rate this article or enter your comments below.