Hyderabad Junior Asia Cup seems to be an academic exercise, as six out of eight participating teams will qualify for the next year’s Junior World Cup.
Technically speaking, strong teams such as India can fulfill their objective in just two days. India meets Japan on Friday, Malaysia on Saturday. If it wins both — which is likely – it will have got its berth within 36 hours!
The bygone era was not like this. Qualifying for the Jr. World Cup from the Asian quota was never easy for two primary reasons. Firstly, the quota was just two or three. Secondly, in the initial stages, Australia and New Zealand were also in the fray.
Indian colts really had a tough time in the late 70s and 80s, before even failing to qualify for the world cup twice in the 90s.
Asian Hockey Federation woke up late to conceptualize Junior Asia Cup only in 1988. Before that Australasian Zone Qualifier or Asian Zone Qualifier were conducted to spot Jr. world cup entries from Asia and Oceania regions.
The first qualifier was held in 1977 in Kuala Lumpur. The hosts extracted a revenge in the semifinal defeating India, whom they lost to in the semifinals of the Sr. World Cup four years ago on the same Merdeka stadium. Winning bronze, Jagdev Singh’s India made it to the Versailies World Cup.
Four years later, New Zealand defeated India in the final (1-2) of the Australasia Zone Qualifier in Hong Kong. Australia and Pakistan did not take part as they got direct ticket for the 1982 Kuala Lumpur World Cup.
Then the FIH abolished the direct entry system. The Australasian event in 1985 in Kuala Lumpur therefore was the toughest. India lost the title to Australia (0-2) but was a satisfied lot as the regular tormenter Malaysia was overwhelmed in the semis. Pakistan came third.
For the first time the event came to India — in 1988—it disappointed the surging crowd at the Shivaji Stadium, Delhi. Only the finalists were to qualify but alas India went down to Pakistan in the semis! Pakistan and Korea went to the 1989 Ipoh World Cup.
Indian colts had the bitter taste of personality ego when they were readying for the Kuala Lumpur Junior Asia Cup in 1992. Guffran-e-Azlam, then vice president of IHF and also the Chairman, Selection Committee, removed the coach (PA Raphael) three days before the team. His fault was total hockey concept, which the official did not like. A selector, 65-year old M. Rajagopal, was thrust as a coach and expectedly India failed to qualify.
In the next three Junior Asia Cups (Singapore 1966, Kuala Lumpur 2000 and Karachi 2004), India did extremely well, reaching the finals, even winning the 2004 number.
Note: In 1988 both Asian Zone Junior World Cup Qualifier (Delhi) and Junior Asia Cup (Karachi) were held. From 1996 onwards, separate qualifiers were abolished.
Note 2: This article was in part published in the Hindustan Times last week