Questions arise after India's 26-0 hockey win over Hong Kong

India players celebrate a goal against Hong Kong in Jakarta yesterday. Pic/AFP

There were smiles all across the faces of the Indian fans and media contingent here at the GBK Sports Centre as the men's hockey team steamrolled Hong Kong 26-0 in a league match here yesterday. The joy was because India has registered its biggest ever victory margin in the game - their previous record being a 24-1 win over USA 86 years ago - at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

Beneath those smiles
however are a few questions that demand a honest debate. Does it make sense to field teams that are of such contrasting quality? What is the learning for the winning or losing team in this? Can there be a shorter format wherein only four or five of Asia's top teams compete for top honours? Almost 200 goals have been scored in the first four days of the hockey competition here with lopsided contests being the order of the day.

Umpire Javed Shaikh (left) and former India coach Terry Walsh at the GBK Sports Centre in Jakarta yesterday. Pic/Ashwin Ferro

The teams scoring goals in a heap obviously do not have a problem. "It's great that my boys were able to get this record today and I congratulate them on becoming a part of history. Our aim is to confirm that boarding pass for Tokyo [2020 Olympics] via Indonesia," said India chief coach Harendra Singh. "We can try out new things and execute different plans. Like today, we removed our goalkeeper towards the end of the match and played Rupinder Pal Singh in the goal as last defender. This will help us evaluate where we stand in case a similar situation is required in a crunch clash," said India hockey captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

FIH world panel umpire, Javed Shaikh, appointed here by the Asian Hockey Federation, agreed the matches are one-sided but felt that more teams meant more participation and that cannot be bad for the game. "It's not that all matches here are one-sided. Bangladesh beat Oman 2-1 in a close match that I officiated here the other day," Shaikh, who works with Mumbai Port Trust, told mid-day here yesterday.

Former India coach and current Technical Director of Malaysian hockey, Terry Walsh, who is accompanying their national team here, felt that something needed to be done but felt it was not his job to suggest a solution. "I think they have to reduce the gap between the top teams and the rest, but how they do it is not for me to advise," said Walsh.

Result:
India 26 (Harmanpreet Singh 4, Akashdeep Singh 3, Rupinder Pal Singh 3, Lalit Upadhyay 3, Manpreet Singh 2, SV Sunil 2, Mandeep Singh 2, Vivek Prasad, Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar, Dilpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Surender Kumar) beat Hong Kong 0