Not too long ago, there were a series of questions asked of Indian hockey. India had lost 0-5 to Australia in a five-test series down under, and there was a national clamour ahead of the Olympics that not all was well in the national team set-up. Questions were asked of coach Craig Fulton and skipper Harmanpreet Singh, and not many gave India a chance in Paris.
The team, however, stayed focussed. Each time we met in Bengaluru at the camp, it seemed there was a sense of calm. They were able to cocoon themselves from all the negativity out there and focus on the job at hand. They knew what they were doing and the outside noise wasn’t relevant.
Paris proved they were right. Fulton had managed to put systems and structures in place, and done things to make sure that there was nothing mundane or boring while preparing for the Olympics. The trip to Switzerland and the presence of Mike Horne was evidence the coach was thinking out of the box. With Paddy Upton there as mental conditioning coach, Fulton was sure he had someone who could get the players ready to handle tough situations mentally. That India were able to deal with the ten-men situation against Great Britain was evidence of the inner steel the team had in them. It was a perfect combination of skill and mental strength that helped India win the medal, and be the only team to do so in back-to back-Olympics in Tokyo and Paris.
Interestingly, the team did not rest on their laurels. The coaches did not either. As the senior team went round the country soaking in all the adulation, the second lot of players were busy training in Bengaluru for the Asian Champions Trophy. Fulton, even when he was home in Dublin, had an eye on what was going on and a clear plan in place. “We need to get back in time for the Asian Champions Trophy, of which we are defending champions, and make sure the team is ready when we leave for China,” he told me when we last spoke. “Our younger players are already training and we will get the seniors back in time from the celebrations.”
The clarity of thought helped. The transparency and focus defined the road ahead for Indian hockey and the results are proof the sport is on the right track. In China, there has been no sign of lethargy or rustiness. India were on song from game one and the 8-1 demolition of Malaysia was a statement. Japan, a team that had bothered India on occasions with their defensive formations, were no match either and India cantered into the semi-finals, the first team to do so.
Winning is a healthy habit, and that’s what this team are now trying to master. Consistency and excellence are the watchwords and there is much to be pleased with in Indian hockey at the moment. With a well-defined roadmap and key personnel in place, it is a professional set-up that’s running the sport. That’s what we need for other sports as well. While there can indeed be politicians at the helm, for they can get key tasks done, the day-to-day running has to be left to professionals.
Fulton and Upton are cases in point. India are now runaway leaders in Asian hockey, and that’s a real feather in the cap. As we await the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy, suffice to say that a reversal will be an aberration. The sport has momentum, and is all set to continue on the growth path going ahead.
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