Mats and Tom Grambusch wrote the scripts for Germany’s comeback in last year’s World Cup for fun. The story had a happy ending too as the Germans went on to lift the trophy in what can only be described as a “madness refusing to end” final match. The penalty shootout went to sudden death and took 14 attempts before the World Cup got its winner and Belgium dethroned.
Paris remains a reference point for all having an eye on it. India is playing against Germany in the semifinal summer Olympics.
There is much at stake, including booking a place in the final, or confirmation of at least one medal; more so for India who have not been able to reach a hockey Olympic final since 1976 and have been unable to win back-to-back medals ever since ‘68 where they claimed bronze.However, PR Sreejesh will be hopeful that he leaves his appearance with at least a medal as this would be his biggest game of his legendary career (even though he has appeared in many an Olympic finals).
For those above scenarios to happen, India must beat Germany today.
Germans also feel that there is some portion of revenge here. Those wounds from that epic third-place play-off match during Tokyo Olympics are still fresh three years later. After going into extra time and finally ending up on the losing side of a 5-4 score line Indians celebrated their return onto podium after 41 years while Germans sank into the turf.
Anyone involved in Tuesday’s semifinal will tell you just how nerve-racking everything is. Yet this Indian team plays like one without butterflies who don’t need any psychological trick from Dr Rajendra Kalra who happens to be a psychologist himself.
Forty-nine-year-old Dr Kalra settled down as successful physician in Chandigarh when he was appointed as official doctor of Indian team travelling with it for Kuala Lumpur world cup 1975.
Prior to the final against Pakistan, a few players also complained about tummy upsets. Reading his guys’ minds, and that coinciding with the gravity of the moment, he acted more as a psychologist than medical doctor himself.
He requested organizers to organize jaggery and black sesame seeds for him. After it was brought to him he melted the jaggery, added sesame seeds into it and then rolled the mixture into tiny pills like medicine.
Those nervous players were given these before they went on to play.
It did work. India won world cup but not because of Dr Kalra’s pseudo pills but due 11 confident boys playing on field.
This Indian side has come of age in Paris again.
If winning over Australia in Olympics after 52 years back was equivalent to reclaiming lost territory during war time then coach Craig Fulton’s men turned its defence into fortresss yesterday starting from quarterfinal match by holding Great Britain at 1-1 even though they played with 10 men for more than 40 minutes after Amit Rohidas was shown red card but also stamping its authority in shootout. All four were converted by India while Sreejesh stopped two. The Indians took a second successive semi-final place at the Olympics courtesy of this score line which read 4-2 (1-1).
However, those Tokyo bronze medallists will tell you that Rohidas red card when he swung his stick across England striker Will Calnan’s face haunted them.
India’s first pusher in penalty-corner defence and a defender received a one-match ban hence will not play in the semi-final on Tuesday.
Rohidas is going to be missed because it disrupts rolling substitutions, short corner defense and fewer drag flick options for skipper Harmanpreet Singh that makes India jittery ahead of facing Germany.
At the same time, India may get hurt by this when countering-attack following successful defense to a penalty kick meaning one midfielder will need to walk back into its 5-man defensive line up with Rohidas currently serving his suspension on the bench.
In addition, another way of viewing this as an advantage is that it is still 11 against 11 within the battlefield. The bench should take care of 15 versus 16.
This big day reminds me about what Michael Nobbs once said.
“You’ve got coffins on the side line,” said the Australian coach, talking about playing for your country.
