C’Wealth Games: Final push for hockey gold

By Mihir Vasavda | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA

The Indian hockey team has set out to conquer the game’s equivalent of Mount Everest.

After surpassing all the expectations to prevail over the relatively smaller peaks, the time has come for the hosts to make the final assault at the summit when they take on world champions Australia.

It will be a match of artistry against technical brilliance, the new-found confidence opposed to the age-old experience and a hostile crowd of 20,000 versus the undisputed kings of the game. At stake is the Commonwealth Games gold medal.

India may be on all-time high with back-to-back wins over Pakistan and England but Australia will be completely different.

Forget the fact that Australia have won all the tournaments they have featured in since Ric Charlesworth took over as the coach, or that they haven’t lost a single match in the Commonwealth Games since the sport was introduced in 1998.

The statistic that will concern coach Jose Brasa is that his team India have managed to beat Australia only once since 2003. That, too, a second-string side from Down Under which India beat 4-3 in the Azlan Shah Cup earlier this year.

Against a full-strength Australian team, India have already suffered two heavy defeats this year, both 2-5 defeats in a group match last week and in the World Cup earlier this year. But a lot has changed since the loss last Thursday.

India has bounced back magnificently, beating bitter rivals Pakistan 7-4 in a pressure cooker situation, before coming from 3-1 down to overcome world No.4 England in the semis on penalties after tying at 3-3 in regular time. India’s renewed confidence in their abilities, backed by a partisan crowd has given them a belief that they can beat the world champions.

“They are an aggressive side and will come at us hard but we will be ready,” he said. And Brasa’s words mirrored the confidence the team possesses. Until last week, he played safe and always maintained that Australia was not India’s competition, and that the side needs to improve a lot before challeging them.

But India will have to dish out a far-more improved performance against the Kookaburras, who, if given a chance, will not waste a single opportunity in going for the kill.

With the match slated to start at 11.30 in the morning, Charlesworth is worried about the heat-factor, which he fears might favour India. But he acknowledged the influence of the crowd and how much of role they will play in the final. “India are quick and are playing at home with a huge support base, they grow an extra leg when they play in those circumstances,” Charlesworth said.

Despite being wary of the reception his side will get, Charlesworth has no doubt his players will not be put off or overawed by the occasion.

“We played the World Cup final here against Germany, we can handle the moment,” he said. “It’s going to be a special match”