It's No Child's Play

There’s often a huge gap between the junior and senior levels in international sports. At the moment, 11 of the 18 players from India’s junior World Cup-winning squad are part of the senior core group. Five of them have represented India already and one is an Olympian. The rest are in uncertain zone, trying to balance their REALISTIC EFFORTS at landing a secure job with their dream of playing for the country, writes Uthra Ganesan

- Uthra Ganesan

A little over six months back, the city of Lucknow was witness to hockey history. A bunch of 21 year-old players lifted the Junior World Cup on homesoil in front of maddening thousands and became heroes overnight.

On June 25, one of those hobbled out of the turf with a twisted knee, fearing the worst in terms of injury and an uncertain future. There were no crowds. With the help of a makeshift stretcher his team-mates carried him out, as a few curious eyes seemed more interested in his hairdo. The player was Parvinder Singh, turning out for his employer Punjab & Sind Bank, and the occasion was the final of the National Championships.

IF EVER THERE WAS ANY doubt about the huge gap between the junior and senior levels in international sports, Parvinder would be a perfect example. At the time when he was struggling to come to terms with his injury and unsure of his future, five of his team-mates from the junior World Cup were struggling to live up to their reputations in London as India went down to lowly but dangerous Canada 3-2 to finish sixth in the 10-team Hockey World League Semifinals.