Frankly, two matches into the hockey tournament at the Paris Olympics, I did not see the Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian team clinch a medal. We looked sloppy in attack, conceded way too many penalty corners, and couldn’t convert as many. But what the team managed to achieve on Thursday, by beating Spain 2-1, isn’t short of unbelievable and historic in every sense.
How? Well, it is only after 1968 & 1972 that an Indian hockey team has managed to win medals at two successive Games. At a time when there is no other strong team from Asia on the roster, where Europe largely rules the roost, we have managed to stun them. Mind you, it could have very well been a gold or a silver, if not for some shoddy, questionable umpiring by the officials, right from the quarters, to the semis. But well, we have defied that too, and won a bronze medal again. And I have been silenced too, like all the other critics of this team.
What Raised Doubts Over This Indian Hockey Team?
Ever since the new coach Craig Fulton took over, it seemed like, the team had gotten into the defensive mindset, where goals were hard to come by. That was evidently visible in India’s performance at the FIH Pro Hockey League 2023-24, where we finished a lowly 7th, playing 16, losing 5 and winning as many. Importantly, we conceded 35 goals and scored only 38.
Here too, at Paris Olympics, we were slow off the blocks. We won 3-2 vs New Zealand, drew against Argentina 1-1, and beat Ireland 2-0. Versus Belgium we lost 1-2. While the performances were not particularly poor, but weren’t exceptional as well, as you would expect them to be at the Olympic level.
In my ‘unpopular opinion’ on August 1, I had, in detail mentioned, why the team might miss on a medal. They were — lack of goals by the forward line, poor penalty conversion rate by Harmanpreet Singh, and conceding way too many PCs. But now, on August 8, after 7.19 PM, I’m happy to eat the humble pie.
India’s Bronze, As it Happened
It is not like the Indian team did not put a foot wrong, but the medal is the result of more rights than wrongs. There is no harm in admitting, that these was a sense of urgency shown by the Indian team in their win against the Australian team, whom they beat at the Olympics after a gap of 52 years. And since then, there was no looking back.
Here’s hoping, that these two bronze medals will only pave the way for a gold medal at LA28.
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