By D N Singh
Odisha is today abuzz with sports and the signature feature this year is that of hockey being hosted here. Each road, walls and buildings wear the look of the sports, the national game of India.
The event has recaptured the lime lights as 2023 Hockey World cup preparatory warm ups are under way. The WC to get started on January 13.
Somehow, for a lean phase of a few years Hockey is back in focus and India must be hoping to repeat of the golden era between 1970-1980, when it reigned supreme.
The hiatus was long as India had to wait over four decades to get out of the drought and strike a win in 2021 Tokyo Olympics with a bronze medal.
Whatever, that was a great feat which amped the hockey lovers in the country to look for better. The shortfalls apart, quite a few may be, but India has left a long trail of footprints in Hockey.
It was no mere feat to have bagged eight gold medals in between 1928 to 1980 which still blink in the records of the Olympics.
A long wait for India now, say 47 years, as it braces to face the challenges from strong teams to regain its past glory in 2023 WC.
It has been a long wait for men’s team which, after 1975 gold medal, the Indian team had a roller-coaster ride not even making itself to a semi-final. The spirit was back only in 1980 Olympics in Moscow when India won the gold.
Some big names like Harmik Singh, Ashok Kumar, Ajit Pal Singh who were experienced lot in international competitions. The same team, more or less, won the bronze medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics, beating the Netherlands in the playoff. It was one of the great teams with Ajitpal Singh, Harmik Singh, Charles Cornelius, Harcharan Singh, M.P. Ganesh, V.J. Philips, Harbinder Singh and B.P. Govinda.
Champions in 1975
Then came the golden year, in the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, India defeated Pakistan in the final, 2-1 with Ashok Dhyanchand scoring the winning goal.
Another crucial match in that event was the semifinal against Malaysia which India won 3-2 in extra time with Aslam Sher Khan scoring the crucial goal.
One of the reasons for India’s success in this period (1971-75) was that the nucleus of the squad remained the same throughout.
Again a pause
There was then an interesting fact about the 1973 World Cup that India actually did not do well in the Pool phase and were held to a draw by New Zealand (1-1), who were invited after Australia pulled out, and were also held 0-0 by 1972 Olympic gold medallists West Germany, finishing second in the Pool. They met arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinals, their rivals in 1971 WC and 1972 OG and this time won 1-0.
History repeated as came the golden year, in the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, India defeated Pakistan in the final, 2-1 with Ashok Dhyanchand scoring the winning goal.
Another crucial match in that event was the semifinal against Malaysia which India won 3-2 in extra time with Aslam Sher Khan scoring the crucial goal.
It would not be wrong to say that, the heart of Hockey remained like a nucleus in between 1971-1975.
After winning the bronze last, India this time in 2023 has built hopes for a similar come back to recapture the lost momentum.
