Fall from grace

From Rob Steen’s article on the loss of England to New Zealand last week.

Timidity. Mental cowardice. Unconfidence. Complacency. Ineffable bloody uselessness. And much, much worse.

I think I can use the same terms to describe India’s loss to England in hockey and hence missing the Olympics for first time in eighty years.

I still remember the Sydeny Olympics game against Poland and the last minute goal that killed India’s hopes. And after that heartache, I could not bear to see India compete again. And with the defeat against England, Indian Hockey has ensured that my interest in Olympics will be nil! Way to go guys.

And it is not because of cricket. It is because the guys lack the balls of steel required. I don’t remember many incidences where Indian hockey has come up good at important junctures. Instead, they have failed where victory was a formality. So unless that (and yeah KPS Gill) changes, hockey will remain to consigned to history books, a game whose last known face for India would be Pargat Singh and Dhanraj Pillay.