Can India seize this chance?

S. THYAGARAJAN

India comes across today a golden chance to chart its course towards the prestigious Champions Trophy hockey. The Champions Challenge, which begins at Johannesburg on Saturday, is the qualifier for the next edition of the FIH-Champions Trophy for which India recently lost its right to host.

Why that opportunity was lost is unworthy of a reiteration here. The reasons can be nauseating.

What awaits India in the South African city from November 26 until December 4 is anybody’s guess.

After that eminently forgettable sojourn to Australia last month, the aspect of unpredictability associated with an under performing Indian team has only enlarged. The devastating 8-3 defeat against the Aussies showed the nadir to which the team can descend.

Looking forward to the tournament, India simply cannot again come up with a poor performance. It will only give rise to doubts about the team making it to the Olympics from the qualifier scheduled in February 2012 in New Delhi.

Constrained to pick from the 30-odd players, the selection committee performed another shuffle. All the known names are part of the squad, but how well will they weld to perform and erase the odium of the disastrous Australian tour remains in the realm of a conjecture.

On paper the team appears balanced. A majority among the squad project enough experience and even a modicum of merit. The need of the hour is a measure of consistency to take on the challenge with determination and well designed strategy.

The Aussie coach, Michael Nobbs, has stumbled after an encouraging start in the Asian Champions Trophy. A lot now rests on his shoulders to regain the confidence he had gained soon after his appointment.

India meets Belgium

India takes on Belgium in the opening match of Pool A encounter on Saturday. The past record of 42 wins in 56 games is illuminating as did the 6-0 verdict in the last meeting in July. But Belgium has performed remarkably in the European championship recently to corner an Olympic berth.

Then India faces South Africa with a score of 18 wins of the 31 played so far. The teams played out a 3-3 draw in the last Delhi World Cup. Needless to say, the African champion qualifier enjoys the home advantage.

Next in line is Poland which always brings to mind the way it denied India an entry into the semifinals at the Sydney Olympics. India has lost six matches against the eight won of the 39 played so far. Poland is a new entrant to the Champions Challenge.

All these statistics only portray cold figures whose relevance in the current scheme is very limited. India has to maintain a winning streak almost throughout to earn the accolades and also the confidence to claim the Olympic spot.

Taken overall, Argentina, ranked No. 8 in the world, has all the credentials for being a favourite here. India, South Africa and Malaysia are reckoned as having an outside chance to hit the jackpot.

The groupings: Pool A:India, Belgium, South Africa, Poland:Pool B: Argentina, Canada, Malaysia and Japan.

The team:

India: Bharat Chetri (captain), P. R. Sreejesh, Rupinderpal Singh, Manjeet Kullu, V. R. Raghunath, Sandeep Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Sardar Singh, Arjun Halappa, Manpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, Sarvanjit Singh, Yuvarj Walmiki, S.V. Sunil. Danish Mujtaba, Tushar Khandekar (vice-captain), C.S. Kangjam, and Shivendra Singh. Chief Coach: Michael Nobbs.