Air India face Karnataka test

Sudheendra Tripathi, TNN

BHOPAL: Air India will have to really play out of their skins if they hope to make it to the last four of the men’s Senior National Hockey Championship.

For, their form, particularly the midfield play, seems to be a touch wanting. Adding to their woes are the injuries to midfielders Vikram Pillay and VS Vinaya. So far, they have gotten away with some patchy perfromances. But against Karnataka XI, their rivals in the quarterfinals on Thursday, they will have to be at their supreme best. Karnataka XI have in their ranks players like Prabhjot Singh, Deepak Thakur and veteran Amar Aiyamma. All the three are capable of capitalizing on any mistakes made by Air India.

In the other quarterfinal fixture, Punjab start favourites against rivals Bihar. The two will lock horns in an early morning fixture (7 am). Originally, Punjab were supposed to be playing Bihar at three in the afternoon, but extreme conditions forced the organizers to reschedule the fixture.

The other quarterfinal features Haryana and Orissa. With the likes of drag-flick ace Sandeep Singh and Sardara Singh in their ranks, Haryana start favourites to reach the last four. Jharkhand will lock horns with Indian Railways in the last quarterfinal clash. But the biggest match of the day is certainly the Air India vs Karnataka match.