Chance for Indian hockey to make a big impact

Indian men have never been to the podium since hockey's 1998 entry to the Commonwealth Games, while their women counterparts have been there twice - winning gold at the 2002 Manchester Games and silver four years later in Melbourne. The pressure, therefore, will be more on the men to set the record straight when the hockey competition begins at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium on October 4.

The worrying part, though, is the chaotic build-up to the event, both for the men and women alike. While sexual harassment claims against the chief coach threw the women's preparations haywire, the men's game has been suffering due to the power struggle between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation. One can only hope that off-field drama will not affect the teams' on-field performance.

The women's team, led by experienced forward Surinder Kaur, is currently in Argentina to play the World Cup, and whatever the result there, the experience will definitely hold them in good stead for the CWG, as some of their opponents there will also be playing at the Delhi Games.  Women's team coach in-charge Sandeep Somesh, who took over after the resignation of long-serving MK Kaushik, is counting on the World Cup as the perfect build-up for the CWG. "We won the silver last time. In Delhi, before the home crowd, we should definitely aim for the gold," is his take. 

In their maiden outing at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games, Indian women had finished fourth, behind Australia, England and New Zealand. The crowning glory came four years later at Manchester when, defying the odds, the feisty girls stunned fancied hosts England to win the gold. And they proved that the win was no fluke when they took the silver in 2006. They now have a chance to create history at home. In contrast, Indian men, despite a formidable Olympic and Asian Games record, have always disappointed at the CWG. They finished fourth in 1998, didn't take part in 2002 and ended a disappointing sixth - behind even Malaysia and New Zealand - in 2006. Going by current form, things don't look that bright this time either, but then, as chief coach Jose Brasa puts it, "In sports, anything can happen on any given day."

The wily Spaniard always portrays a picture of optimism and positive energy and seems to have passed some of it to his wards as well. "Of course, we'll do well. We can't let the home crowd down," asserts former captain Prabodh Tirkey, who was also a part of the 2006 campaign in Melbourne. Current skipper Rajpal Singh, Arjun Halappa, Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh, Tushar Khandeker and Vikram Pillay are the other members of that squad who will hold the key to India's fortunes this time too.

The CWGs diminishing brand value notwithstanding, the contest promises to be tough and exciting. Teams like Australia, England, Malaysia, Pakistan, even New Zealand for that matter, are no pushovers and India have to play out of their skins to break their CWG jinx. And what better way than do it at home, before the home crowd, at their own Games.

Facts & Numbers:

0: Medals won by men's team.
2: Medals won by women's team - gold at 2002 CWG in Manchester and silver at Melbourne 2006.
11: Number of support staff.
20: Number of competing teams, 10 each for men and women.
37: Number of men's probables at Pune's Balewadi camp.

Group Opponents:

Men's pool: Australia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Scotland.
Women's pool: Australia, South Africa, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago.

Main threats:

For men: Australia, Pakistan.
For women: Australia, South Africa.

Recent record:

The men won the Azlan Shah trophy in May, where among others, they beat world champions Australia and also Pakistan. Both teams are in India's pool at the CWG.