Why Indian victory over Australia is a creditable one?

When in the early 90s when Ric Charlesworth was Women’s Chief Coach of Australia, it was the under-rated Indian women team that broke their continuous victory they made in the previous three years. At Delhi’s Shivaji Stadium, Kaushik’s girls, led by Rajbir Kaur, stuck a goal in the last of three tests to make the great win (1-0).

Manjinder Kaur, now settled in life in Jalandhar, might not have understood the significance of that solitary goal that jolted the winning streak of Ric’s Angels, which indeed it is.

That was an encore performance, a sort of which is now being enacted by men in distant Ipoh here in Malaysia.

Same Charlesworth is here, still basking the glory of giving his country the first World Cup in two decades.

He must have got a minor jolt (along with another world’s best coach, Paul Lissek, who is assisting him here) when India built up a three nil half time score. And then when two quick goals were stuck by his team, which he is remote-controlling from main stands – Grahm Reid is the man who sits on the bench as coach — he would have even thought of possible reverse victory.

That it did not happen is the message that the Indian team have sent out today.

India went on to score a goal and then added one more, thus had the luxury of conceding another one to emerge the winners.

That India can build up three goals without giving one is a positive thing, and then the lead was protected for a win is even better positive development for the team, which is slowly improving on all aspects under the guidance of chief coach Jose Brasa.

If the team captain is Grant Schubert, who made senior grade along with Tushar Khandkar in the 2003 Australia four nation, this team cannot be young or second stream, and it has in it few others whom we saw in Delhi in action.

The Indian lead and the frustration of Aussie team that was clearly unable to dominate the proceedings which they are used to quite often, led to a strange situation today.

I haven’t seen an Australian team quarrelling on anything as they did today, starting mid way from the second half.

At least four times, Australian players got into quarrels, creating bad blood, type of things that would have attracted severe punishment if it is from the any other Asian side. At least thrice a defender, who is of Indian origin, invited trouble by arguing with umpires and Indian players inside the circle.

The Australians were thus frustrating side, and it told on their behaviour, they were also totally disappointed with some of the umpiring rulings, as we often complain.

So uncharacteristic was their on field attitude that prompts one to think they are not prepared to lose to the Indians.

Yes, whether senior or development team, Australia hardly lose to India.

Look out the results in other way

Today, like the previous days, all the four debutants Rupinder Pal, Amit Prabhakar, Vikas Pillay and Mandeep Antil were adequately used.

If you closely look at the Indian team, Danish Mujtaba and PR Sreejesh, who was the goalie today, are no veterans despite having a great chance to be in the last World Cup.

Therefore, when you almost have six players who are as young as any Australians side here, one cannot say the match was not between nationals teams.

This win must have given enormous confidence for the team which it need in doses.

This win therefore is creditable one, more so when the half time score read like vintage Indian teams.

It took almost 14 years for me to witness and report Indian win over Australian after the one at Champions Trophy in 1996.