India held on to the slender 2-1 goal lead for long, but conceded a penalty corner goal in the fourth quarter to allow the visiting Australians draw first test 2-2 at Rajnandgaon, Raipur.
A goody crowd witnessed the Test series that is held outside Delhi in many years. This international contest in hockey is first for the town, first for the stadium which was built in three months’ time.
Despite conceding an early goal, India recovered timely to lead the first India Australia test series 2-1 at the end of third quarter.
Its V Raghunath whose two impeccable penalty corner conersions that gave India the reprieve first and then the lead
India’s PC stat: 2 out of 5 while its 1 out of 3 for the visitors.
India had a chance to go up in the third quarter, but two consecutive penalty corners were wasted, with Rupinder Pal Singh getting the crack at the goal.
Australia converted its first PC through impeccable Chris Criello to even the score 2-2.
And then the visitor came tantalizing close to post a goal, but the two quick penalty corners could not breach the solid Indian defence.
“We put forward the best we had, and should aim for better next”, said Raghunanth.