Hockey World Cup- India Gears Up For Glory

Hosts India will have to play out of their skins to win their second Hockey Men’s World Cup title.

- Errol D’Cruz

Lifting the Hockey men’s world cup has never been easy. A team needs to exhibit a keen sense of balance to hold aloft the magnificent trophy, adorned by gold, silver and ivory.

Clinching the trophy symbolises global supremacy in the sport. The honour goes to the team that combines skill, technical ability, fitness and strategy, along with the ability to cope with indifferent form and injuries perfectly. The 14th Odisha Men’s World Cup—to be held at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium—features 16 teams, an increase by four from its 2014 edition. The last time the tournament adopted a 16- team format was in 2002 in Malaysia, but this edition is the first time the field is spread out over four pools.

India’s only title came in 1975. They host the event for the third time and are aware—more than anyone else—that emulating the Ajit Pal Singh-led team’s feat would require an effort of epic proportions as circumstances have changed vastly.

The field of play is no longer natural grass on which India scripted one their most memorable moments. The advent of artificial surfaces has inspired a level-playing field, leading to a plethora of changes in rules, equipment, skills and most significantly—altering the power equation. So much so that Pool C has an intriguing mix of teams, where India would jostle for the top spot with Belgium, Canada and South Africa. Belgium—the highest ranked team at No. 3—will be the team to beat for the fifth-ranked hosts.

Pool toppers qualify directly for the quarterfinals, those finishing second and third face in cross-over clashes with corresponding teams of another pool. For India, any notion of needing to merely turn up to pick up three points each against Canada (ranked 11th) and South Africa (15th) would be like skating on thin ice.