Indian Express: Manipuri boys Chinglensana Singh, Kothajit Singh enjoy rare moment in the sun

By Shahid Judge

Manipuris – Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Kothajit Singh Khadangbam – played a pivotal role in India’s win over Argentina.

There’s a fascinating coincidence you find when the India-Argentina match scoresheet is closely studied. For a team that has historically comprises players from Punjab, Orissa, Karnataka and even Maharashtra, it was a pair of Manipuris – Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Kothajit Singh Khadangbam – who played a pivotal role in India’s win.
After Thoiba Singh and Tikken Singh, not many hockey players have burst on to the national scene from Manipur. But Kothajit and Chinglensana have bucked the trend. Neither player is a prolific goalscorer. According to the Hockey India website, Chinglensana has scored just five times in 112 international appearances, while Kothajit has netted four times in 133 games.

Among the pair however, it is Kothajit who has scored two of India’s most crucial goals in recent times. The first was the equaliser against Pakistan at the Asian Games 2014 final, a game India eventually won on a penalty shoot-out to qualify for the Olympics. And then there is his winner against Argentina on Tuesday, which virtually guaranteed India a spot in the quarterfinals.

The 23-year-old though, is known to be the quietest member of the team. “We have a team meeting once or twice a week. Everyone chips in, but Kotha sits quietly and listens. Finally, every meeting ends with players saying what has become our running tagline: ‘Kothajit kuch to bol yaar,’” says former India international Vikram Kanth, who plays with Kothajit in the Indian Oil team.

At a recent event, Hockey India president Narinder Batra jokingly said Kothajit would get his award only if he smiled. They waited for almost a couple of minutes, but Kothajit wouldn’t budge. Poker-faced, he stood there, collected his prize money and walked away shyly. The other player from Manipur, Chinglensana too is a quiet figure in the dressing room. Their mentality revolves around a team-first approach, yet boasts of great energy and work rates. Their individual styles differ nonetheless.

Chinglensana’s silence off-field is the complete opposite of his flair-filled game. Among the faster players on the team, the 24-year-old is one of head coach Roelant Oltmans’ go-to guys when the team is under pressure. The midfielder’s tendency to set off on marauding runs inside the opposition half surprises opponents and presents the Indians an opportunity to break out. His ability to run with pace with the ball usually ends with him making a pass to an unmarked teammate, who’d then slot home.

He also possesses a powerful shot at goal, yet one that he doesn’t use too often. Against Argentina however, he did exhibit this skill. India seemed to have fluffed their penalty corner routine when the injector, Ramandeep Singh passed the ball on the wrong side of Chinglensana, who was waiting as receiver to feed accomplished drag-flicker VR Raghunath. The Imphal-boy though controlled the misplaced pass, and from just inside the shooting circle unleashed a thunderous drive that he struck from the sweet-spot of his stick. The shot evaded the diving Argentine goalkeeper and thumped the wooden bottom corner of the goal.

Then there is the diligence in defence of Kothajit. Having started his career off as a midfielder, Kothajit steadily became one of the linchpins in the national team’s defensive structure. The youngest brother among four hockey players, Kothajit’s game is relatively unglamourous. “Sometimes we don’t know if he’s playing at all when we’re watching on TV. Then all of a sudden he appears out of nowhere and makes a solid tackle,” Kanth says.

Ever since key defender Birendra Lakra was lost to injury, Kothajit has stepped up his game, becoming one of the dominating figures in the team. His silent attitude is often overshadowed by his colleagues in defence, Rupinder Pal Singh, Raghunath and Harmanpreet – all drag-flickers who find themselves on the scoresheets at regular intervals.
Kothajit though too has added a goal-scoring facet to his game. Once in a while he will provide an extra attacking option by making smart, and often unmarked runs into the box — just as he did against Argentina, and Pakistan two years ago. But according to Kanth, the defender still isn’t used to celebrating his goals. “He scored against Pakistan but barely celebrated. With his reaction you’d think he hasn’t really understood the gravity of the goal he scored,”he quips.

Against Argentina though, he did celebrate, but a lot of it had to do with Sardar Singh, who embraced the Manipuri, ruffled his hair and even pulled his cheeks. The rest of the teammates followed too. The last time Kothajit scored, India won the Asian Games. This time he has all but won them a place in the quarters.