Performance against Australian men’s hockey team is unofficial standard testing method for every field hockey playing nation on the globe.
Australians were often described as playing on different planet.
It was not without reason.
Six years ago, Australians were fuming over the Commonwealth Games Final schedule. They said the midday, temperature hovering around 38-40 degree Celsius is unfair to them. The final should have been under floodlights, they argued.
Hockey’s powerhouse teams are allergic to hot summer. Many thought India has advantage, more so when it reached final at the cost of England.
In the presence of who is who of Indian politics, much like a 1982 Asian Games environment, Australia did not get roasted instead blew away Indian hopes with a 8-1 cakewalk.
This to date is biggest margin of defeat by India to Australia.
A year later, India played a Test Series in suburbs of Perth in Western Australia.
Indian team had its best core of 22 players while the local legends likes of Jamie Dwyer was not in the team. He was kept for a 3-Nation to take place a week later.
At Rockingham, Burnbury (where local lad Aran ski made debut) and Busselton, India was beaten comprehensively.
After leading 8-0, it led India to strike for a 8-3 final scoreline.
Indian coach Michael Nobbs could not offer any explanation moments later.
All he could murmur was ‘They are very good, very very good.’
In the three nation held in Perth proper, India could not reach the final, yet an unofficial third place match was hurriedly planned and Australia A team played.
Full team India with Sardar, Sandeep, Rupinder in its line, lost even the bronze match 2-1.
Simply put, Australians were a mind block for Indians.
What then transformed India since then? The question assumes importance as India holds the Aussies 0-0 in London Champions Trophy Final, top rated FIH event.
First is, frequency of meetings.
Aussies always avoided India. Perhaps felt there is nothing they will get out of it.
Indian teams used to all the way to New Zealand, but Australia wont grant any matches. This is the scenario of last two decades.
Like the FIH, the Australian administration too started underlined the importance of India from the global perspectives. As India hosted major tournaments in trove, their contact with Australia increased.
The coming of Hockey India League further added the much needed pep.
India on its part got the services of good coaches. Paragat Singh led selection Committee was totally wrong to pin down Michael Nobbs ahead of Roelant Oltmans and Jac Brinkmann.
Oltmans came into picture as HPD and then circumstances led him to take over the coaching too.
Since then, Hockey India could put in a system (core group, support staff, exclusivity of core group) on the advice of Roelant, with generous help coming from Sports Authority of India.
Core group players were not fielded even in National Championships, not to speak of All India ones.
The coincidence of Hockey India League turned out to be the game changer for Indian players.
The intensity of HIL matches not only threw up a few hitherto unknown talents, but the proximity it provided to our players with world’s top players started working wonders.
Australians are the major contributor of players to HIL. Our players rubbed shoulder to shoulder with them.
Days of Australia shunning India were gone. Both Federations even signed a MoU by which more bilateral exchanges started flowing.
India went there last year to play first of the Series, and then months later Australians were here in Rajnandgaon and Raipur.
Indians were no longer overawed by the Aussie players. One-sided scores, if not matches, have become a thing of past.
Whenever the Australians lowered the guard, giving chance to new comers or taken India lately, India got it chance and punished, as it happened in Azlan Shah this year. Nikkin struck a hat-trick in that glorious win that took India to medal matches.
Continuous camps, coordinated coaching with adequate scientific support, helped even out the levels among 33 players.
With every importance to fitness, naturally gifted Indian lads picked up modern traits.
Their mindset was also changed. The present lot is disciplined. For instance, none of them complain, directly or to media, they are not in the first eleven or not utilized properly.
They were made to understand the importance of coaching.
After winning Asian Games Indian morale any case was on up. First team to qualify for the Rio, they had ample time to plan and prepare.
Coaching continuity, despite Stephen van Ass exit, helped. Whatever the designations Oltmans survived, monitoring and mentoring players for almost three years now.
Being in the elite company –thanks to Hockey India bidding many major tournaments and the FIH obliging — core group concept (energy management, fitness)and lastly healthy environment helped players remain motivated (motivation is also due to millions they earn as rewards, HIL Auctions, good employment opportunities).
If the same system is continued, India can look forward to rich harvest in home World Cup which is just two years away.
Note: Another article exclusive on India’s CT performance will come tomorrow.