Many claim, erroneously of course, hockey is a not a statistical oriented sports. But, it has lot to offer only if one has an eye for it.
One thing we often miss is the tireless workhorses in the team. We are indeed largely obsessed with goal scorers and mischef mongers in the team and often do not go beyond these mindsets. Obviously, such unipolar approach lead to miss many milestones of other hockey players.
One such is the case of Sardar Singh.
He is the only player in the current year to have played all the matches that India played.
About 40 players have figured for India inthe four tournaments it particiated in the months gone by, but the Haryana lad is the only player to achieve this distiction.
If a player is fielded in every match, that means he has the confidence of the coach. May be at times a coach might prefer to rest a player in form for tactical reasons, otherwise a player being played in all matches virtually means his role and his importance in the team.
Sarda Singh is a hardworking pivot, and by playing in all the 26 matches in 2007, he has proved himself a worth component of all coaches.
Joaquim Carvalho was his coach in the home Belgium Test series, Olympic Qualifier and then in the twin-leg Australia 4-Nations, whereas Ajay Kumar Bansal was the coach for the other senior engagment — Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. By virtue of playing in all matches he won the hearts of both the coaches.
Very fittingly, but of course by default, he led the Azlan team to a silver — and it happened because the captain designate Tushar Khandkar could not be present in Kuala Lumpur after the Australia tour due to some miscommunication and mismanagment from the part of Indian Olympic Association, who controls hockey nowadays.
Sardar grabbed the chances with both hands, and is now a proud silver medallist captain on debut!
But such achievement has a fall out also. Over-worked perhaps, he could not play a couple of matches even to his half potential in Ipoh. Against Pakistan in particular, he put the team in turmoil in couple of occasions with an unnecessary single handed fancy tackles. Without matching spurt of speed, he was easily dispossed, leading to counter attacks.
And that was due to over-work or over-confidence is an area the coaches should ponder over. As of now, let him savour his personal achievment of on the field in all the 26 matches.
Striker Shivender Singh and medio Gurbaj Singh came close to match him, but missed out on two matches. Shivender did not play a match against Belgium in Chennai and another in Chile, while Gurbaj sat out for two matches in Chile.
This has left Sardar to have this achievement which can continue or bust after the next assignment. Till then he can relish this