India is a welcome country in Malaysia – always. More so India and Pakistan contests on the peninsular soils.
With sizeable Indian ethnic population Indian get support from stands, and it is when not playing against the Malaysians.
Hockey in Malaysia is a popular sport, at least it has a tradition.
India certainly relished the ambience that this country provided, year after year with the conduct of this tournament.
India, despite having poor form all through in every recognizable hockey event in the world, for once, showcased, and thus partly safe-guarded its image of a leading hockey country.
We are not talking about the 80s and 90s but at least past three editions.
A few months after India suffered a humiliating fifth position in the Doha Asian Games, India landed up in Ipoh. New coach Joaquim’s team started off well, almost drawing the Australians but for a top of the circle deflection off a cross from right.
The team then went on to win the Bronze, losing steam against the hosts in the semis. That the bronze was obtained against Korea was a good happening, the goal Sardar scored, the winner, was a beauty to behold.
The next year Azlan was played amidst an unprecedented gloomy mood, for India of course, coming a couple of months after the infamous Chile Disaster.
The team was junior or development team could not be deduced, and it was as much suspense as to who would come from Australia to join the team. The senior team was on Ausstralian tour, around the time the then IHF regime was dissolved, Carvalho kept his cards close to the chest.
Ultimately, it could be made out its a second string team. But the issue that was cynosure of all the eyes was return of Sandeep Singh, whose love-hate relationship with Carvalho does not bear repetition.
So, the team was there with the recalled star; with V Raghunath and Diwakar at his disposal, coach Bansal faced a problem of plenty, plenty of penalty corner experts.
This team too did not start well, but once it started winning, it did not stop. It was in the finals, losing to the Argenteneans in the extra time. The golden goal incidentally was scored by a PHL veteran Mario Almada, who incidentally played for Orissa Steelers which the losing coach Bansal was in charge.
Sandeep’s penalty corner performance was not great, but neither Diwakar nor Raghunath got the fair share of the shots.
whatever the niceties, India improved the hue of medal from bronze to Silver.