Hockey set to pick up pace
Harpreet Kaur Lamba

New Delhi April 1: The sport at the top level is all set to get a boost with the International Hockey Federation planning to introduce two new rules come May 1.

Aimed at making the game faster and injury-free, the new rules — a change in the free-hit and a self-start from a free-hit — are expected to help teams that rely on skill and speed. The changes will be on trial for first time at the Azlan Shah event in Ipoh, Malaysia, this week, where the Indian team will get a taste of the amendments.

Under the new rules, free hits cannot be played directly into the circle and defenders must be at least five metres away when the free hit is taken. Explains India coach Harendra Singh, “This will require a lot of mental application. The Europeans nations rely a lot on free hits. The player taking the free hit aims at the opponent’s body, earns an easy penalty corner, and thus manages to score.

“According to the change, a player will now need to keep the ball in play for a longer duration. All this will give the defence time to think, and will definitely bring down the number of penalty corners. It will force the players to use their skill rather than power.”

The 18-member Indian squad were briefed by umpire Shakeel Qureshi during the Bhopal camp.

Qureshi, also an FIH Umpires Committee member, said, “The world body has always believed in making the game spectator-friendly. They first did away with the off-side rule, and then introduced many new changes thereafter.

“The biggest advantage of the free hit rule will be lesser number of injuries to players. Normally, a drag-flicker is asked to take the free hit. The ball travels at 100 miles per hour, and if hit into the circle, it leaves little room for movement if the defence has fallen back in strength.”

Qureshi also believes that the ‘self-start’ rule — the second innovation — will ensure an increase in the time the ball is in active play.

“Hockey is nothing without speed,” says striker Tushar Khandker

“Earlier if a player was fouled, it was mandatory to pass the ball to a teammate before play could resume. This would result in crucial time loss. Now a player can ‘self-start’ the game.

“In easy terms, if you manage to tackle or defeat an opponent in a one-on-one situation, you can start the game even before the rest of the players get to react.”

The rules were tried out at the four-nation junior event in Malaysia last month.

Junior coach A.K. Bansal said, “They are an amalgamation of two things. Taking the ball and travelling for five yards is somewhat similar to what we witnessed during the shootouts in the Premier Hockey League, while the self-start rules is a regular feature in the European leagues.

“My boys adapted to it nicely, though they definitely had problems remembering to put it to use in the first match!”

Courtesy: The Asian Age