Rajpal hoping for improved show at the Asian Games

Ramandeep Singh

CHANDIGARH: The Indian hockey team is trying to forget the Commonwealth Games final thrashing at the hands of Australia and is looking forward with renewed vigour towards the Guangzhou Asian Games, which is less than a month away.

Skipper Rajpal Singh told TOI there were many positives from the CWG and the team would like to remember only that. “We were the only Asian team which put up a good show and reached the final. Beyond that, we managed to win the first men’s hockey CWG medal for the country. We want to build on that,” Rajpal said.

Although the CWG competition was tougher, he said that they were wary of the teams at the Asian Games. “We are clubbed with Pakistan and Japan. Pakistan have lost heavily to us in recent times and they would be itching to come back at us. We cannot underestimate them. Even Japan will come at us all guns blazing. Every team can spring a surprise and cause an upset. We will plan it match by match and hopefully go all the way,” he sized up India’s opponents.

When asked about what went wrong in the CWG final against Australia, Rajpal said, “We held our own for the first 15 minutes but after that, the Australians were all over us. After the initial setback, the boys got excited and went all out into attack leaving the defence vulnerable. The Aussies took advantage of that.”

Rajpal, however, praised his teammates for not relenting in their attacks even when Australia were scoring goals at will. “If we keep playing like this in the Asian Games, I am sure we will do very well,” he said.

The team will attend a training camp from October 25 in Delhi and then leave for Guangzhou. The CWG silver will surely give the team the confidence to make an impact at the Asian Games, where they last won a gold at the 1998 Bangkok Games. India failed to win a medal in the 2006 Doha Asian Games.