An amusing scene so typical of Indian Women Hockey Federation was enacted recently before the senior team set out for their first tour abroad in two years. The IWHF could not assemble all the 18 players for the New Zealand tour even three days before the departure and could not name the captain till the day of departure, but had taken an appointment with sanyasin-turned-sports minister Uma Bharti a week in advance to seek her blessing with the team.

So on the appointed day IWHF Secretary Amrit Bose reached the ministers’ residence in Thyagaraya Marg in New Delhi and claimed the minister has given 15 minutes exclusively for her and another 15 minutes for the team. Even as she was boasting this from a small office room there, the minister was seen leaving the campus in her Tata Safari from the other side. Soon Indian team in a bus and coach A.K. Bansal in his Maruti reached the spot. Cut to a sorry face, Bose and the minister’s staff quickly plunged into a face saving crisis management even as the engagement list displayed there confirmed `meeting with women hockey.’

The minister was located in her Shastri Bhawan office and Bose was asked to rush there. Braving heavy traffic the evening witnessed in the Krishi Bhawan chowk the convoy led by Bose in her Santro reached there. They were straightaway taken to minister’s room where already a meeting was going on.

“No one told me you are all coming”, said the minister as captain Tingonleima Chanu presented her a hat. Much to the bewilderment of those assembled, she asked Bose who bore the expense for the trip. Bose promptly replied, ”Aap ne.” After a brief so so talks, the minister wished the team for a medal obviously not aware it’s a Test series. It all took two minutes and the team dispersed without even a cup of customary tea served.

The team practice was advanced by two hours instead of 5 in the PM to 3, to avail the blessing. One of the disappointed and disgraced girls, who do not want to be named, said: “Seven girls from Junior World Cup joined us only yesterday. Since we were not together for a long time, we were particular we should practice together. Imagine how we could have practiced 3 0’ clock in this summer.” Another official said, “We have not got our foreign exchange still. At least we could have solved that problem but for this. We have to board flight tonight.”

As usual, the IWHF meddled with the selection this time too. It blooded 7 girls from its Junior World Cup team for the tour. On the contrary, New Zealand which is very much above India in the international rating – it won the last Olympic Qualifier where India came last – fielded only Lizzie Igasan from its junior World Cup. What is important here is the Kiwis obtained fifth position in the World Cup and rewarded senior cap to only one whereas India rewards seven for coming at a distant ninth! Within a day after reaching Delhi after 39 hours of journey from Buenos Aires, these younger lot boarded another flight for New Zealand.

Commented one insider, ”Strictly speaking, we should have taken our eligible seniors for the Jr. World Cup and then considered them for this tour too. What happens now is exactly the opposite”.

New Zealand played a test series against South Korea and figured in the Mannings Cup this year and has lined up Australia next month for another series as a part of preparation for the biannual Champions Trophy to come in August this year. Yet, it has taken Indian visit very seriously and recalled veterans like Mandy Smith and Anna Lawrence. It’s first visit in two years for Indian seniors yet the team is full of colts.

Inclusion of under-21 girl Neha Singh in the team marks a great historic occasion. She became the third generation player to visit New Zealand after her grandfather legendary Dhyan Chand visited the Kiwis land thrice in 1926, `38 and `48. Her maternal uncle Ashok Kumar, son of Dhyan Chand, who scored the winning goal in the 1975 World Cup final, visited in 1976. When told the significance behind her maiden trip to New Zealand, Neha said girlishly, “Ok, will I able to match their deeds, too?”

That is a million dollar question in view of the fact how the IWHF plans, and selects the team. But, no problem, they have got the blessing of sanyasin turned politician Uma Bharti.