Chuck cricket, chak de hockey
On the one hand we have Indian cricket team’s disappointing performances in Australia and on the other the Indian men and women’s hockey teams are playing brilliantly to reach the finals of the Olympic qualifiers.
Hockey, India’s national game and a poor cousin of the all-pervasive cricket, is in the news for all the right reasons after a long time.
If the Indian women beat South Africa, one of the best teams in the fray, in the final in New Delhi on Saturday it would be the first time after the 1980 Moscow Olympics that they would represent the country at the Games.
The men’s team which had to face a lot of criticism after they failed to make it to the Beijing Olympics four years ago have a chance to get back into the Olympic fold when they face France in the final on Sunday.
Hockey followers in the country believe that the fine performances of the national teams and the forthcoming World Series Hockey have provided a perfect platform for revival of the game. For them, the time is right for concerted efforts to help hockey regain its lost glory.
Laju Nanwani, the brand manager of Chennai Cheetahs in the WSH, says, “It’s an irony that our national game needs revival but nevertheless I am confident that the future is bright. With the Indian teams performing so well there is excitement building up around the WSH.”
V. Baskaran, captain of the national team that won the gold at the 1980 Olympics, says different disciplines should flourish in India.
The coach of Bhopal Badshahs adds, “I can clearly see the change in people’s perception about the game. In Bhopal, some 200-250 young kinds gather at the field just to see the players practise. I am sure the popularity of hockey will go up once the WSH gets off the floor.”
According to Baskaran, with young Indian players rubbing shoulders with some big international names, the Indian team will benefit in the long run. He says, “The WSH has three international coaches and many foreign players.
The series offers a wonderful opportunity for our youngsters to learn from seasoned pros. With the WSH offering attractive cash incentives, our players stand to gain a lot. In the future, more and more youngsters will take up the game.”
Young hockey fans can’t wait for the start of the WSH. “With the cricket matches becoming boring these days, watching hockey is a good idea.
The problem is we don’t see, hear or read much about hockey in the media, so most of the time the public aren’t even aware of some of the matches. Now that the WSH is here, I will make sure to be there and cheer the Cheetahs,” says Sudarshan Rajagopal.