Can Indian hockey redeem itself?
CALCUTTA, Sept 2 (PTI) Indian hockey, caught in a web of mediocrity for too long, has to show a greater degree of consistency to make an impact in the 16th Commonwealth Games to be held at Kuala Lumpur from September 11 to 21. The Indian team s pathetic ninth place finish in the recent Utrecht World Cup has drawn sharp criticism from almost all quarters and it would need a much more dedicated and inspired show by the players to erase those bitter memories. If Utrecht reaffirmed the coronation for Europe as the monarch of contemporary hockey, it showed India had slipped further into a quagmire of inertia in a sport it had dominated for decades together. The game itself has undergone remarkable changes in style and technique over the years and the Indians have floundered in adapting themselves to modern-day demands of speed, power, fitness and penalty corner conversions. India, keen to regain some lost glory, open their campaign against the formidable Australia in a group A league match
