The Hindu: Olympics is a different ball game: Raghunath

By Uthra Ganesan

The Indian men’s hockey team has been clubbed with defending champion Germany and silver-medallist Holland in Pool B at the Rio Olympics next year.

Having finished at the bottom in the previous edition in London, India has a much better chance this time around. Though talking about a medal would be getting ahead of oneself, the new competition format makes it easier for the team. The other sides in the pool are Argentina (sixth), Ireland (12th) and Canada (14th).

Pool A has the reigning world champion Australia, Great Britain (fourth), Belgium (fifth), New Zealand (eighth), Spain (11th) and host Brazil (32nd). The groupings were announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) according to the latest world rankings.

With the Rio Games hockey competition to be played in the new league-cum-knockout format of four quarters each, a top-four finish would ensure a quarterfinal spot for India. That doesn’t look too tough, given that Ireland and Canada are ranked below India.

However, the players are not taking things lightly. “Since the top-three opponents are the same as at the Hockey World League Finals, we know their strong and weak points. At the same time, it wouldn’t be easy, no team is a pushover at the Olympics,” senior striker S.V. Sunil said.

“In fact, it would be foolhardy to consider any team weak simply because of the world rankings. We know we can beat the higher-ranked teams. Similarly, we also have to guard against those below us. We have seen Ireland, it has improved a lot and come up tremendously. It would be a tricky opponent,” he added.

V.R. Raghunath, defender, drag-flicker and one of the senior-most players in the side, concurred. “We shouldn’t be thinking too much about the pool. Olympics is a different ballgame. The next 7-8 months would be important in deciding where we actually finish,” he said.

With teams like Germany and Holland in transition mode and having played them recently, the Indians have a fair idea of their opponents. “I feel we should take it one match one team at a time. The coach keeps telling us to keep it simple, the results will follow. Having played recently, I feel they should now take us as seriously as we take them,” added Raghunath.

India had managed to hold Germany and beat Holland in the play-off for the bronze at the HWL Finals at Raipur recently.

Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team, having qualified for the first time for the quadrennial event, has been placed in a tough Pool B along with Argentina, Australia, Great Britain, USA and Japan. India will be the lowest-ranked side in the fray in the women’s section.

Pool A includes defending Olympic and reigning world champion Holland, New Zealand, China, Germany, Korea and Spain.

The groupings: Men: Pool A: Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain, and Brazil. Pool B: India, Germany, Holland, Argentina, Ireland, and Canada.

Women: Pool A: Holland, New Zealand, China, Germany, Korea, and Spain. Pool B: India, USA, Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, and Japan.