Lack of planning, missed chances, an inconspicuous forward line, shaky defence -- this sums up India's effort in the just-concluded Champions Trophy hockey tournament, where it managed just one win to finish last among the six elite hockey-playing nations.
Except for a few patches here and there, the Indian team looked jaded all through the competition. While their forwards missed easy sitters, the full-backs gifted easy penalty-corners to their opponents.
In the end, it was a repeat of the same story.
A report card of the Indian team:
Gagan Ajit Singh: The out-of-form Indian skipper hardly made his presence felt in the forward line. At times, his individualistic style of play cost the team goals and moves. He has to understand that hockey is a team game, and individuals can't make much headway. He dribbles too much around 'D' and loses possession of the ball with ease. Looks like Dhanraj Pillay has a follower in Gagan when it comes to challenging and protesting umpires' decision.
Ravipal: Except for Rajinder Singh Jr., he failed to convince everyone on why he was drafted into the team. Although he was used in short spells, every time he came on, he looked like a 'lost kid' on the field. His game requires a sea change if he has to compete at the highest level.
V S Vinay: He had a decent tournament as a half-back. His stick-work and passing are improving by the day. At times, he tends to hold on a bit and allows the opposition to steal the ball. Vinay combined well with Arjun Halappa and Vikram Pillay to carve out some decent moves on the right flank. With a cool head, he has all the makings of a good half-back and it will be interesting to watch him work in tandem with Viren Rasquinha and Vikram in the days to come.
Arjun Halappa: On a given day, he can be a nightmare for the opposition. Arjun has good ball control and likes to dribble and use the scoop to the fullest. He made some good moves on the right flank along with Vinay and Gagan. He has to realize that to be successful on the international stage one has to be a consistent performer. Again, many a time he gifted away ball possession when a good move was taking shape.
Bharat Chetri: The game against Australia proved lucky for him. He replaced the No.1 choice goalkeeper, Adrian D'Souza, after the Aussies pumped four goals in the first twenty minutes, and there has been no looking back for him since then. His efforts against The Netherlands drew applause from the opposition camp as well. If not for his saves, India would be conceded a couple against Germany and half-a-dozen against The Netherlands. Bharat was definitely the find of the tournament for India.
Adrian D'Souza: A bad game against Australia, and he was confined to benches for the entire tournament. He still has skills to be at the top, and is among a few goalkeepers who like to rush out during penalty-corner executions. A volatile defence added to Adrian's woes.
Viren Rasquinha: He likes to be in action even when he is injured. That sums up Viren. A workhorse, he has matured into an able half-back and helps in strengthening the deep defence too. Unlike many of Indian players, Viren is not afraid of tackling, and takes many a powerful hits on his body. An injury during the match against Australia put him out of thick of things. His reading of game augurs well for the Indian team in years to come, and is a world-class player in the making.
Vikram Pillay: Although inconsistency is his main enemy, he filled the void left over by Viren in matches against Germany and The Netherlands. Vikram has the uncanny ability to sneak into the rival 'D' and cause some flutters in the opposition camp. He has not been able to maintain the same consistency after the Rabobank tournament in The Netherlands last year.
Ignace Tirkey: He was awfully out of form for the big occasion. Ignace failed to combine well with the forwards on the left flank. He has the tendency to gift possession of the ball in crucial moments. His feeding lacks vision and direction. Ignace still has the talent to strike in big in the half line.
Harpal Singh: He is all over the ground but still fails to make any sort of impact. His dribbling and tacking has to improve leaps and bounds if he has any intentions to put stay in the national team. Harpal's biggest achievement is gifting penalty-corners to the opposition, and being vocal at all times.
Rajpal Singh: Has good speed and penetration skills amongst the forwards. Combined well with Arjun Halappa and V S Vinay to create some good moves on the right flank. Tends to be individualistic on occasions.
William Xalco: Touted a better defender than Harpal, he just managed to play a couple of games. He has the makings of a good defender, and has the capability to slam clean hits down the line. Given more chances, he will be a 'rock' at the back, and an ideal foil to Dilip Tirkey.
Tushar Khandekar: He was easily the best forward for India in the tournament. Scored a beauty in the game against Pakistan. Tushar has the speed, accuracy and tenacity, and can rattle the opposition fullbacks with his decisive passes. The coach must use him judiciously as he burns out easily during the game.
Prabhjot Singh: Easily missed many of the sitters against Australia, Germany and The Netherlands. Being in the business for many years now, it is a pity watching him play on the left flank with no freshness in his game. Prabhjot tends to dribble, dribble.till the ball is poached by the opposition.
Kanwalpreet Singh: Compared to his earlier games, he is a better defender now. Except for his harried tackles and miscued passes, he had a decent outing in the tournament. When Sandeep Singh was off, he sneaked in couple of goals as well. For the first time he had to play first fiddle in the defence in the absence of the seasoned Dilip Tirkey.
Sandeep Singh: Being the most overrated player in the Indian team, he just managed to save his skin by finding the net when it mattered. Although his drag-flicks are powerful, placement is the biggest worry. To make it worse, India won penalty-corners when he was substituted, making one wonder the logic of not playing him for longer periods. As a half-back, he lacks the vision of Viren or Vikram in feeding the forwards.
V Raja: This 17-year-old hardly made an impact in this short bursts. In the first few games he was hell bent on showing his dribbling skills, and tended to be individualistic in the front. He has time to his side, and must serve India good in future.
Adam Sinclair: He managed to sneak in to the team and failed to create any impact on the field. With average skills, he just struggled in front of top class teams.
Rajinder Singh Jr.: Always on his feet, he surprised rival coaches by sheer inexperience and strategy in handling a bunch of seasoned players. He must remember that being the coach of Punjab and Sind Bank and of the Indian team are two different prospects all together. Blaming a 'set of players' for the defeat, he went on to day that Adam Sinclair didn't play well as a defender in a particular match. Well, that sums it up for him!
