It’s quite unusual. Not much heard of in hockey world. A a statistical high point hogged the limelight in the recent past. Sohail Abbas’ mind boggling leap in becoming world’s top scorer matched as much publicity as, say, Shane Warne’s world record of maximum wickets or home hero Anil Kumble’s 400 wicket haul, did. Australian cricket team was, and is, in India when the low profile yet visible India-Pakistan Dosti series was held on both sides of the borders. It’s Sohail’s duel that added some colour to the otherwise ill-timed series (which luckily turned reasonable for India with its late Champions Trophy entry), at least among the media.
Unlike hockey, Cricket offers vast scope for statistics, even sometimes extending to comical extent. It is therefore rare to see in hockey a statistical achievement matching the type of hype normally the preserve of cricket world.
Thanks to hardworking — but I feel rewardless– statisticians like Akber Wahidi of Pakistan, Sohail’s slow (strictly in comparison with Paul Litjen’s ) but steady march towards the record got constant publicity, generated suspense all through last couple of months, and in its wake brought unexpected honours (rs. 2 million) for Sohail from the Premier of his country. Feats of such nature deserved every adulation that came Abbas’ way.
But, having spent considerable part of my time on statistics, I wish to know who will ratify the numbers? Even truth needs authentication by the competent authorities to become official.
Can we say statistics gets its due in hockey? Certainly No. Mainly because of lack of recognised data base which neither does the global body FIH nor the Asians deem fit to develop so far. Barring North Europe, Oceania, some nationas in Americas and a few others, not many National Federations are in the know of how many internationals their own country had figured in so far. Even if they know, they have not been published.
At least in this part of continent where at least half a dozen countries are anytime as good as world beaters, both in men and women versions, the lack of authenticated statistics is creating confusion, instead of making more events to happen as in the case of Sohail’s. Abba’s is rare incidence and the statisticians behind it needs to be saluted for his effort.
Take for instance the recent India – Pakistan Test series.
Five years ago, both print and television media called the 1999 series the sixth between India and Pakistan and now, though the series was revived in 2004 after a gap of five years, it has been hailed as the ninth! Because the statisticians across the border considered a couple of matches that had taken place in neutral venue in Gulf region as the part of the Series.
In hockey we had no opportunity to witness two nations playing a series in a neutral venue though some matches used to be played at the venues of say World Cup or Olympics, but not many categorised them as Series. Whether one look the neutral venues this way or that way, the moot point is who, and when, a compiler will be given universally acceptable guidelines?
Even the number of times India-Pak played between them is not clear. Some included and excluded certain matches on their own judgment with a result the end result was not matching. Now we have a figure of about 120, where to me it seems a mix up is there. Mainly due to the reasons whether to include or exclude matches in which second string teams participated. So as of now it has somehow become apparent that insofar as acceptability is concerned, whoever quotes maximum number walks with pride or it depends on the reputation of the publication that publishes the statistics. This has undoubtedly created ‘Knights of falsehood’ at least in India.
This is not the way hockey would develop to be a professional sport. Somewhere someone has to take a note of, make a step and set the bench mark for others to follow and build upon. Certainly it is a global task.
Even ambiguity exists as to what are the international matches, and on the status of Exhibition and Charity matches. In past many matches were played without neutral umpires. So, are those internationals, if so, how many of them?
Holland came to India in early 90s en route Lahore Champions Trophy, and played two matches in New Delhi. One was lost by them, another a draw. Holland considered them unofficial and the Indian authorities that time claimed they were indeed internationals. Because such issues were not considered worth of clarification by the powers that be, some in India took the easier route later. When Holland came calling this year, many called it a visit after 27 years though the Delhi visit was in early 90s.
India has not many dedicated hockey statisticians as stakes are not much for any one to make it a sustainable profession. Otherwise, Dhanraj’s milestone of 400 m