K. ARUMUGAM

India did not flinch at the colour red. The red that Great Britain wore. And the dreaded red card that Amit Rohidas was shown with 42 minutes left in the quarterfinal against formidable Great Britain at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir in the 2024 Paris Olympics men’s hockey competition on Sunday.

The sturdy defender was banished to the dressing room leaving India looking down the barrel and digging deep into the trenches. But after the guns stopped blazing and the dust settled, PR Sreejesh, nicknamed The Wall, stood firm. It signified India were through to the semi-finals with a 4-2 shootout victory after regulation time produced a 1-1 draw and now await either Argentina or Germany in the semi-finals.

You could call it The Miracle on Turf and it was scripted by a defensive master class presided over by the 36-year-old goalkeeper. The team’s embattlements were bombarded but the ramparts held. The line was breached but The Wall stood firm. And with every minute passing, Great Britain’s efforts assumed a more anxious hue.

The shootouts were a mirage in the desert when Rohidas was sent to the dressing room. The signs were ominous for Great Britain when it loomed as a certainty. They failed to deliver the coup de grace for most of the 40-odd minutes that India coped with the handicap of fewer numbers.

Now with the psychological advantage with India and Sreejesh, a potential stumbling block, their worst fears would have been realized as the shootout commenced. The iconic goalkeeper with 328 international caps saved one, stifled another attempt and received the right support from his shooters – Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet, Lalit Upadhyay and Rajkumar Pal — who converted four out of four.

Indian team celebrate QF win over Great Britain

Great Britain converted their first two shootout attempts through James Albery and Zachary Wallace. It went neck-and-neck at 2-2 after Harmanpreet and Sukhjeet were on target. Sreejesh then psyched out the young Conor Williamson who shot wide.

Lalit made no mistake with his attempt to make it 3-2. Phil Roper attempted to draw level but Sreejesh thwarted his effort to present Rajkumar Pal with a chance to settle it with India’s fourth.

The Uttar Pradesh youngster duly sealed the issue with little ado, beating Ollie Payne and flicking high into the net to unbridled joy in the Indian dugout and the stands.

In a fast-paced power-packed sport like field hockey on a plastic pitch, it was Mission Impossible to survive almost three-quarters of an hour with a man short.

Amit Rohidas whose raised stick injured Will Calnan drew a direct red card – a rarity in hockey — and left India with Mission Impossible if not a Miracle.

But is the term Miracle an injustice to Harmanpreet Singh’s boys? It was sheer will, the indomitable human spirit in the face of seemingly impossible odds that composed an Indian victory that will etched in the memory.

That spirit galvanized the Men-in-Blue instantly. And who better than the lion-hearted captain Harmanpreet illustrated that with a perfect drag flick off his side’s fourth penalty corner in the 22nd minute to put India 1-0 ahead. A goal in such circumstances rattles an expectant opponent enjoying numerical superiority that early in the contest.

Great Britain found their bearings, however, and levelled scores two minutes from the half-time hooter when Lee Morton fired in past Sreejesh after a cross from the right.

The match-up was a repeat of the Tokyo 2020 quarterfinals where India won 3-1 in regulation time and Great Britain, ranked No. 2 before the match, might have entertained thoughts of revenge against their seventh- ranked opponents, especially after two wins in the recent FIH Pro League.

But South African coach Craig Fulton’s half-time chat would have programmed the team to pack the defence and deny the enemy space to operate.

Ironically, a defence-first strategy, so emphatically vilified by all and sundry after three matches in the current campaign, was instrumental in hauling India tide over overwhelming odds.

Great Britain had dominated the first quarter when  it was 11 v 11 and it took Sreejesh’s class to keep the scoreboard blank after Rohidas’ superb No. 1 running staved off two penalty corner threats.

A third penalty corner (eight in the match) came Great Britain’s way with only 11 minutes gone and after Jarmanpreet stopped on the line, Sreejesh lunged to his right to stick clear as danger loomed.

India struck rhythm in the closing stages of the first quarter but three penalty corners went begging, the last blocked by goalkeeper Ollie Payne. India seemed to enjoy the rub of the green on the blue turf in the opening minute of the second half when Sam Ward’s hasty call for a referral met with rejection.

An early loss of a resource but it was to be an even more severe setback for India in the seconds that followed.

Rohidas, sturdy defender and deputy penalty corner striker was adjudged to have deliberately raised his stick into Calnan’s face. An umpire’s referral drew a chilling verdict of a red card. A rarity of rarities on a hockey pitch. The expressions on the faces of the Indian players and the bench bore a look of shock and horror.

But they looked adversity in the eye and knuckled down to the task of living in the moment. Before long a penalty corner, India’s fourth and last, arrived and Harmanpreet, stone-faced and determined, sent in a perfect drag flick between Payne and the left post-man to draw first blood – his seventh goal of the competition.

Great Britain threatened soon later through Rupert Shipperly but was not to be denied the equalizer when Lee Morton beat Sreejesh from close range with halftime beckoning.

India playing every player behind the ball needed to absorb pressure from Great Britain who queerly showed too more patience than warranted.

For all that, Shipperley struck the post from close range and with circle entries expectedly mounting, Great Britain forced a series of penalty corners.

Sreejesh saved from Sam Ward and struck out his right pad to deflect another from Great Britain’s eighth amid anxiety and admiration from vociferous Indian fans.

India’s numerical handicap took another blow when defender Sumit picked up a green card effectively reducing India to nine on the dot of three-quarter time.

Then, Shipperley was shown the green in the 48th minute to make it 10 v 10 and it may have done much to ease the burgeoning pressure and even encouraged India to foray into attack as the minutes ticked away.

But Great Britain were back to 11 and no rest for Sreejesh who blocked in time to prevent a late heartbreak at the hands of a now desperate Great Britain.

But the line held firm. Great Britain grew more frantic, India more composed and the hooter was sweet music to the packed stands and countless Indian fans watching on their screens the world over who appeared to take for granted victory in the shootout.

Photo courtesy: Hockey India