‘PC defence India’s biggest concern’
Former goalkeeper Adrian feels new players need to step up to shoulder the responsibility; Rupinder hopes the lessons learnt in Australia will help the side in Paris
Former Indian goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza watches intently as a young goalkeeper takes a sprint from the place where a custodian takes guard to the area where the penalty corner specialist takes his or her shot.
On the other side of the articial turf at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here in Chennai, former India defender, a penalty corner specialist, and a key member of the team that won the bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, is busy taking a video of a player unleashing a drag ick. Then, he gets busy talking to the young players on the nuances of drag icks. For over an hour, the two Olympians, Rupinderpal Singh (2021 Tokyo) and Adrian (2004 Athens) get occupied, discussing with the young players, all aged under-19 years, the technique and strategy involved in taking penalty corners and the art of goalkeeping respectively.
Novel initiative
“It is a unique and novel initiative by Hockey India. A coaching camp like this has not happened before,” gushed Adrian even as Rupinderpal said: “We want the players to have the right technique and we are eager to groom players who show bright potential.”
Of course, things have been not so bright for the Indian men’s team especially with Paris Olympics nearing. In a disastrous outing in Australia, India lost all the ve Test matches in Perth. The team’s performance re ected the Murphy’s law, “Whatever has gone wrong will go wrong.”
Rupinderpal and Adrian weren’t unduly worried about the team’s drubbing in Australia. Rather, they felt it will force the team into a huddle and the players will come up with a better performance in the forthcoming FIH Pro League in Europe and the Paris Olympics.
Rupinderpal is of the rm opinion that the team has to focus more on penalty corner defence and score more eld goals. The 33-year-old, with 223 International caps, explained the lessons learnt in the failed Test series against Australia.
“Test games are always taken as preparation before the bigger tournaments. So, I think I’m sure they have taken those games in that mentality only. But, of course in those Test games, they have tried many things including trying various combinations. They were new faces as well. I think the head coach (Craig Fulton) has given opportunity to new faces, too. In that way, I think it is a plus point that they have got ve games
Rupinderpal said the 0-5 whitewash in the recently concluded Test series against Australia wasn't a true reflection of how the Indian men's team can perform at the Paris Olympics
Adrian said India has to be cautious about Australia's counter-attack as it has the ability to convert a defensive opportunity into a goalscoring opportunity in 15 seconds
Rupinderpal and Adrian, who are in Chennai for a week-long coaching camp organised by Hockey India, said it was a novel idea by HI. They feel the camp will help identity and groom promising young talents
The two Olympians are of the view that India can win a medal at Paris provided they are consistent and play together as a unit