Hockey (Junior Men): India
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Contents |
Junior Hockey World Cup
2021
France beat India in opener
Arnab Seal, Nov 25, 2021: The Times of India
Captain Timothee Clement led from the front as France shocked defending champions and hosts India 5-4 in the Junior Hockey World Cup at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The Indian junior team was expected to win the game considering their experience but France had other ideas as they gave the Indian team a rude wake up call in their Group B encounter. Timothee, the oldest player in the tournament, not only scored three goals, two of which came from the penalty corners, the French captain also made a brilliant goalline save to deny Araijeet Singh Hundal from converting a PC in the third quarter. The remaining two goals were scored by Corentin Sellier and Benjamin Marqué.
For India, Sanjay also scored a hat-trick with all his goals coming from penalty corners. Of the three goals two came very late in the game and even briefly raised the hope of an Indian turnaround but that wasn’t to be.. For the hosts, the other goal was scored by Uttam Singh. India will now have to regroup fast as they take on Canada in their second group game on Thursday. Like captain Vivek Sagar Prasad said after the match, they will have to play with much more energy from the very beginning. While they did win eight penalty corners against France and looked like they would score every one of them, India were lacklustre otherwise. Maninder Singh, however, was quite impressive for the hosts and even came close to scoring.
As for France, they played just like India chief coach Graham Reid had anticipated and India had no answer to it. They moved the ball fast and attacked brilliantly down the right flank. They will now hope to continue their good show against Poland on Thursday. Earlier, it couldn’t have begun poorly for the hosts as France took the lead in the 48th second. Sellier received the ball near the goal and took the shot from the right. His shot was well saved by India goalkeeper Prashant Chauhan but Timothee scored off the rebound.
Result: India 4 (Uttam Singh 10, Sanjay 15, 57, 58) France 5 (Timothée Clément 1, 23, 32, Benjamin Marqué 7, Corentin Sellier 48)
India beats Canada 13-1
Arnab Seal, Nov 26, 2021: The Times of India
On a day when the first four matches of the Junior Hockey World Cup produced as many as 56 goals, India did not fail to deliver in Bhubaneswar. Against a lowly Canadian side, they won 13-1 at Kalinga Stadium.
For the hosts, Sanjay and Araijeet Singh Hundal both scored hat-tricks while Sharda Nand Tiwari and Uttam Singh sounded the board twice. The remaining three goals were scored by Maninder Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad and Abhisek Lakra. For Canada, Christopher Tardif scored the only goal.
While it was no doubt a brilliant performance by the Indian team, but Canada are a team that got to know they will be playing in the tournament only a little more than a month ago after Australia and New Zealand pulled out due the ongoing Covid travel restrictions.
Nonetheless it was an important victory especially after the shock loss against France. While Sanjay impressed with his penalty conversions, Maninder stole the show with his skills upfront. He was always at the right place at the right time. Not only did ke make a number of assists, he made some great runs that left the Canadian defenders in awe.
As for the stats, it was mind boggling to say the least. India had a total of 54 circle penetrations, 19 shots on goal and 11 penalty cor ners. As for the goals, India scored six from penalty corners and an equal number of field goals while the remaining one was a penalty stroke. India will now get a break on Friday and take on Poland on Saturday. Canada, meanwhile, will play France. Earlier, India started off really well. Unlike the match against France, they were dominating from the word go and took the lead in the third minute when Uttam calmly put the ball into the net after receiving it from Maninder. Five minutes later, India doubled the lead and this time Vivek chipped the ball over the incoming goalkeeper and into the net.
Canada did win a couple of penalty corners but they were unable to convert them and as the second quarter began India made it 3-0.
India beats Poland, 8-2
Arnab Seal, Nov 28, 2021: The Times of India
India earned a comfortable 8-2 win against Poland in their last group game of the Junior Hockey World Cup at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
And, as expected, they finished second in Group B and will take on Belgium in the quarterfinals. It will be a replay of the 2016 Junior Hockey World Cup final when India beat Belgium to win the title for the second time.
For India, Sanjay, Sudeep Chirmako and Araijeet Singh Hundal scored two goals each while Uttam Singh and Sharda Nand Tiwari sounded the board once. As for Poland, Robert Pawlak and Wojciech Rutkowski scored the two goals.
Despite the easy win, there will be a lot for coach Graham Reid to ponder on ahead of their quarterfinal tie. First, India’s defence remained a big worry despite the scoreline. Poland won as many as seven penalty corners and had an equal number of shots on goal. It’s a different matter that they couldn’t convert their chances but India looked really shaky in the fourth quarter when Poland scored both their goals.
Also, India lacked a lot in discipline and were shown as many as five cards – two green and three yellow – on Saturday. It might become a worry for India when they face a quality side like Belgium.
Finally, the injury sustained in the match by Maninder Singh will be a huge cause of concern for the Indian team. Maninder had been in great form throughout the tournament but just as the first quarter was coming to an end, he pulled his right hamstring and couldn’t continue to play. It was so bad that he had to be stretchered out of the filed.
The good thing is that there are three days to go before the quarterfinal tie. The other positive is that India’s positioning has improved inside the D but as Reid said after the match, there’s always room for more improvement.
India took the lead as early as in the 4th minute after Sanjay scored from India’s first PC of the match. They didn’t have to wait too long for their second as four minutes later Hundal converted India’s third PC.
With the first quarter coming to an end, Poland did win a PC but Julian Blaszkiewicz’s shot was easily kept out by India goalkeeper Prashant Chauhan.
As the second quarter began, India started pressing high and it was Sudeep who came close to sounding the board a couple of time before finally scoring the third from the edge of the D in the 24th minute. India could have scored more but Polish goalkeeper Maciej Wieczorek made some good saves to keep the hosts at Liverpool bay. ’s Thiago was In the third quarter back on , even the scoresheet as Poland tried to find their footing, the Indians were in no mood to ease the pressure and Uttam made it 4-0 following a brilliant run by Vivek Sagar Prasad down the left flank. Sharda then scored the fifth from India’s fifth penalty corner and Sudeep made it 6-0 with a brilliant hit into the top left corner.
Germany beats India in SFs
Arnab Lall Seal, Dec 4, 2021: The Times of India
Over the last decade, India's digital ecosystem has experienced a massive transformation. This has mainly been driven by technological innovation that has put the country in the fast lane by solving affordability, access, and digital inclusion problems. To further strengthen the idea of a digitally connected India, Bharti Airtel, a leading telecom provider in India, is now joining hands with Google to flag off a historic partnership. This long-term, multi-year agreement will see the two stalwarts come together to accelerate the growth of India's digital ecosystem. The partnership is set to expand India's digital ecosystem by boosting network capabilities, ensuring last-mile network distribution and payments ecosystem, and making technology truly equitable.
Airtel to receive a whopping $1Billion from Google
Google will invest up to $1Billion in Bharti Airtel as part of its Google for India Digitization Fund. The partnership comprises a $700 million (Rs. 5,224.4 crores) equity investment in Bharti Airtel at a price per share of Rs. 734. Another $300 million will be used over the next five years on multiple commercial agreements, which will include Airtel's plans to make smartphones more affordable to empower almost 350 million feature phone users in India. The partnership aims to achieve this through innovative affordability programs that will accelerate digital inclusion across India.
The association fulfils Google's vision to increase its footprint and pull more people to use the internet, which India, with a population of about 1.3 billion, readily offers. Experts state that this will allow telcos, like Airtel, to drive up 4G data usage and revenue, especially at this crucial point where it is gearing for 5G auctions by mid-2022 and subsequent 5G network rollouts.
Gearing India up to become digitally savvy
The partnership is a landmark moment in India's digital future as the two giants join hands to potentially co-create India-specific 5G network use cases with cutting-edge implementations. This will allow for faster deployment of 5G networks and services in the country, which will benefit not just consumers but the two companies as well. The partnership also opens up the scope for the two tech giants to rejig the cloud ecosystem in India. Airtel serves over one million small and medium businesses with its enterprise connectivity offering, and this partnership will help accelerate digital adoption.
Talking about the partnership, Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Airtel, said, "Airtel and Google share the vision to grow India's digital dividend through innovative products. With our future-ready network, digital platforms, last-mile distribution and payments ecosystem, we look forward to working closely with Google to increase the depth and breadth of India's digital ecosystem."
Speaking about the deal, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, added, "Airtel is a leading pioneer shaping India's digital future, and we are proud to partner on a shared vision for expanding connectivity and ensuring equitable access to the Internet for more Indians."
Partnership to benefit individuals and businesses
This strategic partnership is set to bolster India's digital strength by letting both Airtel and Google work alongside various device manufacturers to bring down the barriers to owning a smartphone across different price points. Currently, a massive segment of India's 1.3 billion population accesses the internet through feature phones. Affordability and lack of adequate use cases have been primary reasons why telcos and device makers have struggled to upgrade them to smartphone users. The recent 20-25% price hike in prepaid tariffs by operators has further slowed down the conversion. Google's commercial and equity investment in Airtel will go a long way in making smartphones more affordable to more people.
The partnership will also empower businesses to progress on their digital transformation journeys and build a solid digital ecosystem for consumers. By building an open technology ecosystem, the two giants will extend innovative digital services to customers and businesses. As a part of its first commercial agreement, Airtel and Google will work together to build on Airtel's extensive offerings that cover a range of Android-enabled devices to consumers via innovative affordability programs.
Airtel's significant efforts in 5G adoption
Over the last five years, Airtel almost single-handedly changed the 5G roadmap in India. After becoming the first telco in the country to test the technology way back in 2018, Airtel conducted several path-breaking experiments in the 5G space in 2021. In an industry first, it conducted a cloud gaming demonstration on live Airtel 5G, in which popular Indian gamers Mortal and Mamba participated. The company also joined hands with Tata Consultancy Services and successfully tested innovative use cases from TCS' Neural Manufacturing™ solutions suite on Airtel's ultra-fast and low latency 5G network.
Airtel has also conducted live 5G tests across cities, like Hyderabad and Kolkata, and has collaborated with several tech companies like Intel, Qualcomm, etc., on the 5G front. This association with Google is set to strengthen Airtel's position as a telecom stalwart in the country and help further its efforts towards 5G adoption.
Disclaimer: This article has been written on behalf of Airtel by Times Internet's Spotlight team.
2001: World champions
India claimed the gold medal for the first time in 2001 at Hobart.
2016: World champions
The finals
The Times of India, Dec 19 2016
Asheem Mukerji
Hosts Turn On Style In Lucknow, Clinch World Cup, This was India's second win in the championship
It was a Super Sunday for the Indians as they turned on the style to `reverse-stick' past Belgium and claim the Junior Men Hockey World Cup at Major Dhyan Chand stadium.
Reserving their best for the final day, the home side called the shots from the very start to catch the rivals on the wrong foot to register a 2-1 verdict. For India, both the goals came off reverse hits.
The final scoreline may not suggest a true picture, as the home side dominated the game and had the European team on the back foot during most of the 70 minutes.
Rattling the Red Cougars with the speed, skill and some immaculate passing, India wasted two short corners early in the match before Gurjant Singh provided India the lead in the eighth minute. He came up with a cracker of a reverse hit from an acute angle to beat Loic Van Doren.
That provided the tempo to the evening, as India doubled the lead 14 minutes later. This time, Simran jeet Singh and Nilakanta Sharma did a 1-2 to hoodwink the Belgians defenders and the former finished it off with a fine reverse hit.
It was one-way ticket in the opening half. As ever, skipper Harjeet Singh was the mainstay at the middle to help the Indians control the game. With forwards Mandeep Singh, Simranjeet, Manpreet Junior and Armaan Qureshi keeping the Belgian defence busy, Indians had the rivals on the run.
After the breather, visitors slowed down the pace of the game. That helped them create some chances, but the Indian defence stood tall to the task. The only time their defence cracked was in the final minute of the game. That time, Fabrice Van Bockrijck defeated the Indians with a strong drag-flick off their second set-piece. In comparision, India earned four penalty corners.
The series of events
The Times of India, Dec 20 2016
JaspreetSingh Sahni
When Captain Harjeet Lifted The Junior WC, His Father, A Truck Driver, Was Away On Duty In Maharashtra
It took 15 years coming, but when it did, the Junior Hockey World Cup gold turned a satisfying year for Indian hockey into a memorable one. Never before in the history of hockey had India won a Champions Trophy silver and a Junior World Cup in the same year. It's no mean feat in a sport that has often relied on its 20th century chronicles to win the support of people.
The story behind this golden success, in particular, must act as a catalyst and not be allowed to become another flash in the pan. Behind this script are multiple actors and factors that proved to be the pivots on which India turned it around to reclaim the throne in the City of Nawabs. When you come to know that captain Harjeet Singh's father, who is a truck driver by profession, was away on duty in Maharashtra while his son lifted the trophy , the many unknown facets of this team come to the fore.
Harendra's masterplan
Harendra Singh was given the charge of India juniors -a pool of 42 players -in 2014. It was then that he drafted his Mission 2016. The seriousness of Harendra's approach towards pruning this team to 18 could be seen in the minutest details he went into like creating a Whatsapp group titled `Mission 2016', drafting a team slogan, handing out a print to every player and listing 31 words starting with letter `C' to counter any situation on or off the pitch. The world `champion' was added to the list on Sunday to make it 32. The Boys in Blue kept crossing milestones -2015 Junior Asia Cup and the four-nations trophy in Valencia in 2016 -before accomplishing final mission.
Surjit Hockey Academy
The role of Surjit Hockey Academy in India's WC success is huge, as 10 of the 18 players are from the famous hockey nursery in Jalandhar.Harjeet, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Simranpreet Singh, Krishan Pathak, Hardik Singh, Gurinder Singh, Vikramjeet Singh and Parvinder Singh are all products of the academy . Include Gurjant Singh, who shifted from Surjit Academy to the Punjab Institute of Sports, and you have an entire team coming from a single academy .In fact, most of the boys in the above list have been together since schooldays, having played together for more than 10 years, including now for the national team. That explains the coordination of this team.
Seniors in the squad
Striker Mandeep (with over 50 caps), playmaker Harjeet and dragflicker Harmanpreet (part of Rio Olympics team) already have the senior-team experience. The trio had said before the start of the WC that the experience of having played with the senior team would help them “prepare for the big matches“. It did make a difference as they led from the front in the knockouts.
Sreejesh in the dugout
Some observers were surprised to see senior India captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in the junior dugout. Some even called it a strategic move by the star goalkeeper to angle for a future job with Hockey India. In fact, it was a selfless move by a player recovering from injury , who wanted to make the most of his time off. Sreejesh's presence was felt when he guided Vikas Dahiya during the shootout against Australia in semifinal.
The route to the championship
The Times of India, , Dec 19 2016
Boys showed they were champion class
You've asked a critical qu estion“, said the Indian junior hockey team's coach Harendra Singh, before tears rolled down his cheeks.This correspondent had asked him if he felt like an underachiever, both as player and coach. That was six weeks ago. At that moment, Harendra revealed a pledge he took in 1998, when he became a coach, after being dumped as a player from the national team.
Harendra's investment paid off in Lucknow as the Harjeet Singh-led side edged out Belgium 2-1 to become the first host nation to win the junior World Cup hockey crown. The victory caps an emotional journey of a team which was carved out of raw talent and brought together in April 2014. The team has made plenty of sacrifices. Second goalkeeper Krishan Pathak didn't attend the funeral of his father who passed away a few mon ths ago, as the team was heading to England for a series. Seven members of the junior hockey team, including cap tain Harjeet, are sons of driv ers. They have battled the odds from a very young age, but have all been driven by the common goal of winning the Cup.
Given the team's strengths, a podium finish was expected, but the quality of hockey and the amazing emotional strength they displayed on the field highlighted the fact that they were champion material. The victory by itself was no flash in the pan, the team having won the Junior Asia Cup last year and also the last build-up event -a four-nation tournament in Valencia, Spain.
A lot has happened in Indian hockey over the past eight years.From a side which did not make it to Beijing Olympics in 2008, to the wooden spoon at London four years later, and the eighth-place finish in Rio this year for the senior side.The climb uphill has been slow, but purposeful. In fact, the golden show by the colts caps a great year for Indian hockey in which the senior team has also achived significant progress and is now ranked No. 6 in the world.
T he juniors have ended a 15-year-old World Cup drought. One hopes it gets translated into brighter days for Indian hockey.
