New Delhi: The Indian hockey team's nightmare at the World Cup continues. A team which has got Olympic gold medals to its name can't win even one match in the hockey World Cup. It's been another disastrous campaign for India at an international tournament.
Embarrasing, if you are looking for a word to summarise India's performance at the hockey World Cup. Don't look beyond it. With just one point from five matches, India is now nowhere near the semi-final stage. They will now be contesting for the last four places in the classification matches.
The team reached a new low when the Netherlands thrashed them 6-1 in their last league match. India scored first in the 14th minute on a long pass from the skipper Dilip Tirkey. But that was it.
The Dutch took complete control of the game from then on and hammered two goals in three minutes in the first half. Taeke Taekema went on to score five goals for the Dutch, which also included an hat-trick.
The final scoreline, 6-1, left the Indian reputation in tatters. The team will now be battling it out to avoid the last spot in the tournament.
"Somewhere we are lacking the ultimate aim of strategy about what we are supposed to do. It's stereotype hockey which is going on. We have not seen variations irrespective of whether you are playing against Korea, England or South Africa. It's the same type of hockey going on," Jagbir Singh, former coach and national player, observes.
India have played well only in patches. The forwards have been off-colour barring youngster Shivendra Singh. Before their departure, the coaches said the midfield would be the key. But in Monchengladbach, the midfield was listless.
"There should be a penetration from the linkmen into the opponents' half in coordination with their own players. If you don't attack in coordination, the opponents' defence becomes difficult," Zafar Iqbal, another former Indian player, suggests.
Indian teams in the past have been known for their attacking skills. But this time, the entire setup has been defensive. Experts say this is another reason why India are conceding last-minute goals, which have often been the decisive ones. India finished 10th at the last World Cup. But this time around, there is a real danger of finishing last.
"We are not holding on to the ball. We hardly have the ball in this tournament. If you look at the overall percentage of ball possession, the Indian team is playing 60 per cent of its game within its own half," says Jagbir Singh.
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