With the World Cup in full swing in New Delhi, GAUTAM BHIMANI sticks up for hockey and presents a three point action plan to get the ‘game’ back into our national sport
“X”was a promising West Australian batsman on the 70s who scored over 1000 first class runs fell agonisingly short of playing for Australia. His greatest consolation was getting a silver medal for Australia in the Montreal Olympics, in a different sport, one in which he now even coaches the men’s national team.
“Y” is a middle order batsman played cricket for Border (whose home ground is East London) in South Africa but has not been on the radar of South Africa’s cricket selectors yet. He chose to try his hand at a different sport and on February 28, made an explosive start to the World Cup of that sport.
“X” and “Y” have something in common.
Both have chosen to abandon cricket for hockey and have done rather well for themselves.
“X” is Australian Ric Charlesworth, who excelled at both sports but made a career and a life from hockey. Charlesworth is in fact one of the sports contemporary living legends. “Y” is young South African forward Julian Hykes who scored the opening goal of the 2010 hockey world cup in New Delhi against Spain.
There are a few examples in reverse too. For one, turn the clock back a few years and you have the example of another skillful player who nearly made it to the Barcelona Olympics as a hockey player and eventually ended up playing the cricket World Cup that year in Australia and New Zealand. It was someone who seamlessly translated the athleticism ingrained from the Astroturf into a hitherto untapped skill in cricket. It showed the skill and modern day mastery of fielding. The name of the player is Jonty Rhodes.
All examples which prove that all is fairly well with the sport of hockey even when you look at it in a cricketing context.
Or is it?
While there may be favourable comparisons and while the gap may have been marginally bridged, there is still work to be done for hockey. This despite all the euphoria associated with the World Cup being hosted in India and India thrashing arch rivals Pakistan on the opening night in front of almost 20,000 frenzied fans. (One must add there were many more outside and many who got in on black marketed tickets, something the cops apparently didn’t frown upon since it augured well for the sport). Perhaps then Indian hockey in particular should look no further than cricket for inspiration.
“X”was a promising West Australian batsman on the 70s who scored over 1000 first class runs fell agonisingly short of playing for Australia. His greatest consolation was getting a silver medal for Australia in the Montreal Olympics, in a different sport, one in which he now even coaches the men’s national team.
“Y” is a middle order batsman played cricket for Border (whose home ground is East London) in South Africa but has not been on the radar of South Africa’s cricket selectors yet. He chose to try his hand at a different sport and on February 28, made an explosive start to the World Cup of that sport.
“X” and “Y” have something in common.
Both have chosen to abandon cricket for hockey and have done rather well for themselves.
“X” is Australian Ric Charlesworth, who excelled at both sports but made a career and a life from hockey. Charlesworth is in fact one of the sports contemporary living legends. “Y” is young South African forward Julian Hykes who scored the opening goal of the 2010 hockey world cup in New Delhi against Spain.
There are a few examples in reverse too. For one, turn the clock back a few years and you have the example of another skillful player who nearly made it to the Barcelona Olympics as a hockey player and eventually ended up playing the cricket World Cup that year in Australia and New Zealand. It was someone who seamlessly translated the athleticism ingrained from the Astroturf into a hitherto untapped skill in cricket. It showed the skill and modern day mastery of fielding. The name of the player is Jonty Rhodes.
All examples which prove that all is fairly well with the sport of hockey even when you look at it in a cricketing context.
Or is it?
While there may be favourable comparisons and while the gap may have been marginally bridged, there is still work to be done for hockey. This despite all the euphoria associated with the World Cup being hosted in India and India thrashing arch rivals Pakistan on the opening night in front of almost 20,000 frenzied fans. (One must add there were many more outside and many who got in on black marketed tickets, something the cops apparently didn’t frown upon since it augured well for the sport). Perhaps then Indian hockey in particular should look no further than cricket for inspiration.
Read these article :-
Outlook Magazine money editor quits
Don't trust the Indian Media!
No comments:
Post a Comment