Indian Hockey. The moment we hear these 2 words in conjunction, probably we go down memory lane to remember the olden and golden days. The fame and laurels that Major Dhyan Chand won is probably equally important and laudable as the achievements of Sachin Tendulkar to the history of Indian Sports. Hockey is India's national sport and the magnificence of the team of the "Golden Era" (Golden Era refers to the period between the 1928 Olympics and the 1956 Olympics when India won 6 the gold medal in 6 consecutive Olympic competitions, winning all of their 24 matches and scoring 170 goals!) probably triggers bountiful nostalgic moments for people who followed Indian Hockey. Many a blog and many many articles have been written talking about the rise and fall of the game in India, many articles have been compiled showing the golden and barren patches of Indian hockey. This is not something similar, it is about a new pattern that Indian hockey followed in 2010. The result of this strange never seen before pattern:- it's 3/3 yet 0/3 for Indian hockey in 2010
For any sports freak who follows a little more than cricket in India, it will not be too tough to remeber the major sporting events Indian hockey participated in this year. For those who cannot get them, there were 3 - the hockey world cup, the Commonwealth games and the Asian games. It was a time for Indian hockey to stand up and tell the world we are back, It was a time to put the numerous problems off the pitch to rest for once and just play the game and play it like we have been known to play it - like champions. But then at the end it was 3/3 yet 0/3 for Indian hockey in 2010
First it was the World Cup. One of the most glittering events for any sport is the World Cup event of that sport. This time the hockey World cup was to be staged in our own backyard. The 2010 Hockey World Cup was at Delhi in 2010!. Wow! what a chance for revival of hockey, right in front of the eyes of it's own people, in it's own den. Surely, India expected like never before. to add more fuel to fire India was in the same league group as eventual champions Australia and arch rivals Pakistan and formidable Spain and England. Quite simply, it meant just this - the perfect setting for Indian Hockey to script a comeback. And what more the first game was against our neighbors Pakistan. A packed Major Dhyan Chand stadium was waiting for their team. When the Indian team was introduced and the national anthem was played hearts pounded like never before, spirits rose and the entire stadium just chanted India India and India. And how well the team played. Magnificent. India thumped Pakistan 4-1. The intensity and the joy was beyond control, television viewers jumped in joy, fans at the stadium screamed in esctacy. It was 1/1 for India. Was it to be India's world cup? Sadly NO!. After that victory, India was never really in the tournament from the later games losing to Australia, Spain and England and Argentina and a dull draw against South Africa.Enthusiam went down, crowds backed off from the stadium, television viewers preferred other channels. India finished a dismal 8th out of 12 nations. It was 1/1 but still 0/1 for India
The came the Commonwealth Games. After the International media (with a strong strong backing by some seriously fanatic news channels in India) had done a lot to show the world that India cannot host a games, the athlets, the officials and the volunteers pulled off a miracle. They put the corrupt officials to shame by their hard work and determination. The athletes and their coaches and the support staff were just amazing. India participated in a lot of events. Prominent among them was hockey. Another chance to get things moving. Another chance to stand up to the challenge. And guess what? India was again pooled with Pakistan, Australia and a hard working Malaysia. The Indian team played well, battled hard and finally it was down to a game against Pakistan in the last of the league games. Again, fire and passion like never before. Zeal and ambition of the top draw. Crowds went wild, people switched channels to DD Sports to view this game. It was a statement Indian Hockey wanted to make. And again what a game. Electrifying, exciting and entralling. Some pulsating hockey by the 2 Asian stalwarts saw 11 goals scored with India bagging 7 and Pakistan 4. Celebrations at the stadium was wild, India had qualified for further stages and the team went on to the semis and the finals too. It was 2/2 for India. India entered the final and then flopped again. Australisa blanked India 8-0. What a hearbreak! Suddenly it was 0/2 for India.
Finally came Asia's biggest event - the Asian games at China. After a 100+ medal haul in the Commonwealth Games the expectations were high. This time too people sliently wished for the hockey gold, because it was just more than gold at stake. No, it was not just the pride of Indian hockey, gold at the Asian games means automatic qualification for the London 2012 Olympics for the hockey team. It was time to call the shots once again. As luck had it again India was in the same pool as Pakistan and a good Japan team. India rolled over the weaker teams thumping HongKong 7-0, Bangladesh 9-0 and beat Japan 3-2. Yes, again India played Pakistan and again the players played like fathers of hockey, again it was euphoria and joy for Indian fans. India never tralied in that match. Always lead and eventually won it. What a result, the expectations grew, fans hoped for that unknown new. It was 3/3 for India. Can India clinch the gold was what some hockey enthusiasts pondered. Yes, again India faltered. India lost to Malaysia 3-4 in the semi final and finally beat a formidable Korea 1-0 to clinch the bronze. Again it was 0/3 for India
This expression is nothing to downplay the team's silver at the CommonWealth Games or the bronze at the Asian games. They are 2 valuable medals and signifcant steps forward for Indian hockey's revival. But, we are the nation that defined the Golden Era of hockey, we are the nation from where the magician Dhyan Chand hailed. Like India is always expected to bag the gold in Kabaddi, it somehow must become default that India wins the gold in Asiads, the Olympics and any games for that matter in the game of hockey. The point is the difference in zeal and energy levels in a Paksitan and a non Pakistan game. For sure had India played in the same tempo against other teams in all the 3 events, we probably would have been World and Asian champions along with a gold in the Commonwealth. It's not that our team is weak, it's somehow that missing fizz that is suddenly injected in a India Pakistan game. Somehow, suddenly it is 0/3 for India though it is 3/3 against our arch rivals in our national sport!