With greens in bank, dreaming of India blue

“It’s gold,” says a proud Roshan Minz, pointing exictedly at the crucifix and chain around his neck. He bought it with the advance he had received from the contract with the Pune Strykers. “I always wanted to wear gold,” he says shyly. After raking in the moolah at the first World Series Hockey, Minz can afford a lot more than just the token medallion.

Although dejected after his side lost in the final, Minz was more than just surprised when his name was announced for the Rs 50 lakh cheque as winner of the Indian ‘Star of the Tournament’ category. “I waited for them to call my name again because I thought I had heard them incorrectly the first time around,” he says.

That moment of elation, however, is tempered with his recollection of being forced to choose between WSH and the national team. Minz, who had earned over 50 caps since making his national team debut in 2007, but fell out of favour after a ligament injury in 2009, and subsequent poor form. While the 24-year-old had been part of several national camps since then, he couldn’t ever make it back to the big league.

“I was confused as to what decision to take. If I went to the national camp, then maybe I could have made the cut for the final 48, then 30 and maybe even the playing eleven. Then, maybe, I could have gotten some reasonable playing time,” he says. “But there were too many ‘maybes’. With the WSH, it guaranteed Rs 5,00,000 for a month’s work.” It was ultimately a no-brainer.

“You can’t live just on honour. My father died when I was sixteen and since then my priority was to take care of my family . After I got a job, I was able to contribute to my family. WSH was simply a way to provide for my family. I even had a little left for myself,” he says.

While the money is likely to go in buying a house for his family in Bhubhaneshwar, Minz says he is also grateful for the fact that the WSH allowed him to prove his worth.

“Towards the end of my national team stint, I was getting to play ten minutes in a match. For Pune, I was always a starting player. During the semis against Chandigarh (Pune was 4-1 down but equalised 4-4 in the last ten minutes before winning on penalties) I felt unstoppable. In front of big crowds, I was expected to be a match winner,” he says.

Then, as he fiddles with the crucifix incessantly, Minz appears restless. While his decision to play in the WSH was a pure pragmatic choice, he still dreams of playing for India.

“When I started playing in my village Kardapal in Orissa, I couldn’t afford proper gear so I would carve a stick out of tree branch and pretend to be Dilip Tirkey. At that point, hockey wasn’t played for the money. For someone who comes from a small village in the tribal areas, playing for India is the most special thing,” he says.

It’s clear he still has to come to terms with the consequences of his decision. “I’m not comfortable being called a star. A real star is someone who has made a name for himself by playing for the country,” he explains. “I’ve got some respect because of WSH. But that is nothing compared to the respect an Olympian gets.” Following a pause, Minz says: “If they recall me to the (national) camp, I will certainly go.”