Task daunting, but hosts India up to it

Indervir Grewal

Rourkela, January 12

“When we came, the starting days were a little warm and we felt it might be a little tough,” India captain Harmanpreet Singh, chasing glory at the Hockey World Cup that begins tomorrow, says. “But suddenly, now the weather is changing. We have practised accordingly, both in the morning and evening, and played practice matches as well.” The weather here has been a bit difficult to deal with — the afternoons get warm with a bright sun burning the skin, while the mornings and evenings have been chilly, a little too cold for comfort.

The Indian team has had to adapt to the weather. Had this World Cup been held a decade ago, the weather would have been an apt metaphor for the Indian team – blowing hot and cold. The Indian teams of the last couple of decades were notorious for their inconsistency on the biggest stages. It is only in the past few years, after over a decade of consistent work, that India have managed to shed that tag. They proved themselves at the biggest stage, winning the bronze medal at the Olympics.

India vs spain today

Must focus from the first match and play according to our individual responsibilities.

—Harmanpreet Singh, India Captain

Less than two years after their feat at the Tokyo Games, India are ready to take the next step – win a major title. The setting is perfect – as host, India will enjoy the raucous support of the passionate fans in Odisha. The stage is set for their opening game: Rourkela’s 21,000-seater Birsa Munda Stadium, which in full capacity has the potential to shatter the resolve of even the toughest of India’s opponents.

The team also seems to be working together perfectly. In Harmanpreet, they have arguably the deadliest drag-flicker in the world. The evergreen Manpreet Singh is still running the motor of India’s midfield, but now has the young but much-matured Hardik Singh taking some load off his 30-year-old’s shoulders. The attack is led by the experienced Akashdeep Singh, who returns after missing the Tokyo Olympics, and Mandeep Singh.

India have a relatively difficult pool, with Spain and England their main rivals for the top spot. These two teams proved tough rivals for India in the Pro League last year. Only topping their group would give India a direct entry into the quarterfinals. Finishing second would mean playing a crossover match against one of the teams from Pool C – The Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia and Chile.

India had reached the semifinals of the first World Cup in 1971 and the final in the next two editions, losing the title clash in 1973 and winning it in 1975. Since then, they’ve never reached the semifinals. The task at hand is daunting, but Harmanpreet is confident. “The right thing is to focus from the first match and play according to our individual responsibilities. If we do that, then there is a good opportunity for us to win this World Cup,” Harmanpreet said.