If one thought that the Indian men’s hockey team was a prime contender to win a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, think again. If one thought that the Indian men’s hockey team was going to better its bronze medal from Tokyo Olympics, at Paris this year, think again. For all we know, it might just happen, but the IND vs AUS series Down Under, where the visitors failed to register a single victory, is a bitter pill to swallow.
More than a reality check to the players, and coach Craig Fulton, it is a reminder to the fans, that don’t harbour hopes of a gold medal already. Such expectations may only hurt in the long run. And it ends up putting unecessary pressure on Harmanpreet Singh & Co. Just look at all the five matches, where India lost 0-5, the victory margins for the Aussies was huge, and the bridge between the two teams, even bigger.
Paris 2024
India vs Australia Hockey, As it Happened
On Saturday, India lost 2-3, despite opening the scoring in the match. Harmanpreet converted early, in the fourth minute itself, while Boby Singh Dhami scored again in the 53rd minute. But between the 4th and 53rd minute, Jeremy Hayward, Ky Willott (38’), and Tim Brand (39’) scored the goals for the hosts.
In the fourth match, India had faced a 1-3 loss, while the third encounter was a lot closer, with our men losing 1-2. The second match was once again a one-sided affair where the team lost 2-4, and the first one came as a rude shock, where the score margin was a whopping 1-5.
Indian Hockey Coach Had Sounded Confident Before Series
Before the start of the Perth tour, Fulton had termed the series as a litmus test for Paris Olympics. Now what’s to be made of this result is anybody’s guess. “This series serves as a litmus test for our team’s preparedness ahead of the Paris Olympics. We aim to fine-tune our strategies and identify areas for improvement to ensure we are in peak form for the mega event. Our focus will be on executing our game plan effectively and adapting to the challenges posed by the Australian side.”
Did the Indian Team Get Complacent?
Before the series between India and Australia started, the visitors were ranked fourth, while the Aussies were fifth. Did that play a part in their downfall? Perhaps. But now enough damage seems to have been done with a series whitewash. Now in Paris 2024, India and Australia are placed in the same group. And their confidence won’t be very high when it comes to facing this particular opposition.
The stats are also heavily stacked in favour of the Australians. The two team has played each other 48 times since 2013, and the other team has won 33 of them. Indians have won only eight matches. So clearly, there’s a lot of work to be done, in terms of all-round preparations, and not a lot should be expected from the team as of now. Not that they can’t bounce back, but there’s no need to burden them with expectations.
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