Cricket bat or hockey stick, only shape differs!

Finally, it took 41 years for the Indian hockey team to ‘break the shackles’ of being ‘not up to the mark’ and performing ‘below their potential ' in the Olympics or any other international tournament. The team displayed a perfect blend of teamwork in defeating the powerhouse Germany to claim the Bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics, 2020. Will this victory help the game to regain its lost glory among the minds of Indian sports lovers? Today, a hockey player does not get the same amount of respect and attention as being given to those taking to the Gentleman’s Game.

How many people know about Ashok Kumar, Zafar Iqbal, Mervyn Fernandes, Pargat Singh, Dhanraj Pillai or Dilip Tirkey? (Pardon me for naming just a few since only these names came to my mind while penning down my thoughts). Barring the legendary Major Dhyanchand, how much do we know the legends who moved the hockey stick with exemplary dribbling skills to cut through the defence of their opponents and reach the target?

When our boys bagged the Gold medal at Moscow Olympics in 1980 under V Bhaskaran, they would have thought that their win will inspire many medals in the years to come. They didn’t have any idea that the country, where the game originated, will have to wait for 41 years for the Olympic glory. The current team that bagged the bronze, must have been going through the same feeling in a hope that their victory will prove to be a trendsetter for the years to come and that the country will bag another medal in Paris, 2024.

We, the people of this country, can also realize this dream by supporting and promoting our heroes in the best possible way. Just having confidence in them and believing in their abilities will be enough. It is the same as we have belief in our cricketers who go on foreign tours. We should look at our hockey players with pride and shelve the notion that they play just for government jobs. Remember, the colour of the medal doesn’t matter but winning does! They have the same passion to win laurels for their country as that of cricketers.

Our confidence and support in them will surely do wonders. We need more people like Naveen Patnaik who have been always looking after the backs of hockey players. The day is not far when India will regain its lost glory and be a hockey powerhouse again. Jai Hind!