The Olympics might not be a platform for a leap of faith but at some level, Craig Fulton was expected to make one or two bold choices for the Paris Games, especially in the forward-line and midfield.
Instead, when the chief coach revealed his squad on Wednesday after a two-day selection trial – which was a mere formality – he named the tried and tested players in what can best be described as conservative team selection.
Too safe in attack?
The most contentious choices are in the forward line. Lalit Upadhyay and Mandeep Singh, who have served the team with distinction for close to a decade, were integral to the team’s return to the Olympic podium three years ago in Tokyo.
But in the shortened Olympic cycle, they haven’t always been at their peak. A lot of India’s field goals in the recent tour of Belgium and England were scored when Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh and Abhishek combined. Mandeep and Upadhyay weren’t always in the thick of action.
Especially when the team is playing a low block – Fulton’s India switch between different types of press more than any previous sides – the range of Upadhyay and Mandeep’s skills seemed restricted. In such scenarios, for them to sprint forward and cover the rest of the field during counterattacks feels laborious.
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A team source said that the duo’s fitness test scores have been on par with the rest of the squad and the management felt their experience of playing at the Olympics – and winning big matches at that level – would come in handy. With Akashdeep Singh also not making the cut, the selectors and Fulton felt dropping one of Upadhyay or Mandeep to make space for a young forward – someone like Araijeet Singh Hundal – could affect the balance of the forward line.
”There was also a question of who if not them,” the team source said. Hundal’s name came up during the conversation. In the Pro League matches, the six-foot-plus striker added variety to India’s attack and showed the ability to take first-time shots at goal. “But his performances weren’t consistent enough and it was tough to include him based on a few decent performances,” the source added.
Harmanpreet, the go-to drag-flick option
It will be key for the forwards to continue the goal-scoring touch they displayed in the European tour especially since the onus of converting penalty corners will fall heavily on Harmanpreet Singh, who will also captain the squad.
Jugraj Singh has been the number 2 drag-flicker for a major part of the last year. But his returns have been limited as often, he has dragged his flicks wide of the goal. Prone to defensive mistakes as welll, Jugraj has been relegated to the standbys list.
In his absence, Harmanpreet will have the support of Amit Rohidas and Sanjay. The two defenders haven’t been regular options in penalty corner situations. But in training, they have been routinely taking flicks and it is expected that the team could also showcase some of the variations practised during the camps if Harmanpreet’s direct drag-flicks do not result in a goal.
The trio will also be expected to take charge of India’s defence, which has sometimes looked shaky, error-prone and been guilty of conceding soft goals. Amit and Harmanpreet will form the central pairing; Sanjay on the left along with Sumit and Jarmanpreet Singh will be on the right flank.
PR Sreejesh (selected for his fourth Olympics along with Manpreet Singh) in goal will be the biggest source of relief.
Raj Kumar Pal’s creativity
The midfield remains stable by and large. Vice-captain Hardik Singh and former captain Manpreet Singh are expected to do most of the running around, assisting the attackers while also shielding the defence (whether Manpreet drops back in defence for some games will be interesting to see).
The source added that the thinking behind selecting the tried and tested players was to retain the experienced core of the team while ‘upgrading the team that won the gold medal at the Asian Games’. From the Hangzhou 18-member squad, Krishan Pathak and Nilakanata Sharma go to the reserves. In defence, Tokyo Olympian Varun Kumar, accused of rape, is no longer in the core group.
And that’s where Raj Kumar Pal comes into the midfield. His ability to eliminate players with his dribbling skills compelled the management to include him in the squad. Pal’s selection, the team source said, was largely because of the creative element he brings to the team.
One player who impressed some members of the team management with his flair was Mohammed Raheel. In the limited chances he got during the Australia and European tours, the attacking midfielder came up with some eye-catching performances. However, Raheel wasn’t included in the team for the Paris Olympics, the source said, because he couldn’t ‘contribute defensively as much as others’.
Fulton said the players he picked demonstrated ‘exceptional skill, dedication and resilience throughout our rigorous preparation phase.’ “Our focus has been on building a cohesive team that can adapt to different playing styles and situations, and I believe we have achieved that,” Fulton said.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team for Paris 2024 Olympics:
Goalkeeper: PR Sreejesh
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay
Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh
Alternate Athletes: Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak (GK)
