Mihir Vasavda

Mumbai: The junior Indian hockey team will open their World Cup campaign against co-hosts Singapore on Monday and their coach AK Bansal is expecting nothing but a winning start.
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While the senior team has been a perennial slow starter to majority of the tournaments, the colts would hope to do exactly the opposite.

But it’s not just winning that Bansal wants – he wants to win by a big margins. “The Netherlands and New Zealand both had big wins today. So we too have to perform with same zeal. We do not wish to go down because of inferior goal difference if it ever comes to that stage,” Bansal told DNA from Singapore.

After nearly a month of the solid preparatory camp at Bhopal and two good practice match results, things look brighter for the team. But on the World Cup stage, it will be different. The colts will have to overcome early jitters and outplay Singapore.

Placed in a group that comprises traditional favourites Holland, a tricky New Zealand, besides Poland and Singapore, who hold even a less than outside chance to make it to the next round.

Netherlands routed Singapore 8-0 on Sunday, while the Kiwis thrashed Poland 8-1. That is a warning sign for the juniors, who hope to redeem India’s status in world hockey, which is in tatters at the moment. “We want to win to at least salvage some glory to this sport. Indian hockey will stay alive only if we get results consistently and we ought to do that,” said Bansal.

A lot will depend on how India’s star drag-flicker Diwakar Ram performs. Bansal says Ram will be the guiding force for the team. “Diwakar has been in brilliant touch and is one of our main players. But Innocent and Manjeet (Kullu) too are in good form and that is good news for us,” remarked Bansal.

Diwakar was the top-scorer in India’s Asia Cup triumph last year. The forward line boasts of Jay Karan, Amir Khan, Danish Mujtaba, Pramod Kumar and Mandeep Antil.
“We brought some new faces in the team after the Asia Cup triumph. This team is better than the side that won the Asia Cup. Antil has the experience on his side and goalkeeper Mrinal Chowbey has also improved and lot more confident now.”