It was a hostile crowd to start with. And the match was against the host nation in China. If anyone watched the game closely, he or she would agree that the umpiring left a lot to be desired. In fact, at one point India’s captain, Harmanpreet Singh, was so exasperated with the on-field umpire that he gestured to his players that the umpire was not able to comprehend, nor was he willing to listen!
Whether it was bias or home pressure, we wouldn’t know. But the truth is the umpiring could have been better. And yet, at no point did the Indians look derailed. They were frustrated, yes, even upset, but not thrown off gear. Even when decisions went against them, even when they weren’t given a possible penalty stroke, they kept their composure and fought on. They finally managed to get the elusive goal to defend the Asian Champions Trophy title which they had won in August 2023, ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Three things stand out about this team. First, and perhaps most important, this team now knows how to win. They have a mentality to not give up and fight till the last whistle, to try and win from any given situation. Under Craig Fulton’s coaching, they have come to terms with poor umpiring. They now know that some decisions will go against them and unlike the Olympics, where the umpiring standards are high, in other tournaments, some of the decisions are just unacceptable. Having accepted this reality, they don’t get perturbed in adverse situations, and can keep calm and navigate their way through.
Second, while it is impossible to fill the void left by PR Sreejesh, the two Indian goalkeepers have indeed stood up to the task at hand. Suraj Karkera and Krishan Pathak have both been stellar, and if some of the saves were anything to go by, Sreejesh would have been proud enough to tell the goalpost that he had left it in safe hands.
Jugraj Singh’s 51st-minute goal seals victory; Hockey India announces cash awards for the team.@TheHockeyIndia #AsianChampionsTrophy https://t.co/OlfAHPku69
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) September 17, 2024
Finally, this is a team shaped by Fulton, and has his imprint all over it. The attention to detail is his forte, and the team is ready for every eventuality. Even when they were locked at 0-0 in the fourth quarter, they did not let the pressure get to them. Very Fulton. Having spoken to him multiple times, one can surmise that he had readied the team for a situation where China would defend well and take the game deep. How India gets a win from such a situation must have been discussed in the team meeting.
That India has decided to retain Fulton and the support team till Los Angeles 2028 is a fantastic move that ensures continuity. Credit to Bhola Nath Singh and Dilip Tirkey that they did not waste time in doing so after the Olympics. Finally, one has to say something about the skipper, Harmanpreet. Clearly, he has catapulted himself to a very different league in Indian hockey, and keeps performing tirelessly under any amount of pressure. His ability to convert penalty corners under pressure and lead the team in difficult situations has helped elevate him to the status of one of the best-ever leaders Indian hockey has had. Again, it is a very good call to retain him as skipper for the next Olympic cycle.
View this post on Instagram
As we come to terms with a dream 40 days in our hockey, it is also time to accept that a long-term vision is always the way forward for the sport. Short-term gains aren’t always relevant or needed. Under Fulton, the long game was what India focussed on going into the Olympics, and that’s what paid dividends in China as well. To some much-needed rest now, before we see them back in action in a couple of months.