Gill questions logic of playing weaker opponents

Indian hockey team may have been registering thumping victories over Australian state sides in their ongoing tour Down Under but dissolved Indian Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill feels the results against lowly outfits will hardly benefit the team.

"I feel playing against weaker teams and posting big margin wins is of no use for the senior team. If they want to give real exposure to the players, they should play against strong, formidable opponents," Gill told PTI here today.

"Ric Charlesworth had mentioned earlier that he would be surprised if India don't post comprehensive victories against the less formidable state teams." In their tour Down Under, Sandeep Singh-led India demolished the combined state team of New South Wales and Queensland 8-1 in the first match on Saturday and then thrashed them 7-0 in the second match on Sunday.

They will next take on the Australian Development Squad in two back-to-back matches tomorrow and the day after in Brisbane after which they will leave for New Zealand on a four-Test series.

Gill observed that in the recent past India have always done well in tournaments involving three or four countries but when it came to the bigger stage like the Olympics and World Cup, they have faltered.