The Indian men’s hockey team will start their Asian Games 2023 opener against Uzbekistan on Sunday in a Pool A encounter.
New Delhi: Former Indian men’s hockey captain Viren Raquinha had advised the national team forward line to re-tackle a lot and utilise the rolling substitutions intelligently so as to minimise the chances of conceding goals at crucial junctures ahead of their Asian Games 2023 campaign that starts against Uzbekistan on Sunday in Hangzhou. India, who won bronze in the last edition in 2018, have been clubbed win Pool A with Japan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.
Lack of concentration while defending at crucial moments has been an issue for the Indian men’s hockey team for quite a few years. With a 2024 Paris Olympics berth at stake, the Indian team can’t fumble at this stage and are the highest-placed side in the continental showpiece – ranked third the world.
“Craig (Fulton) is trying to ensure that our defense is tight where everyone falls back. I genuinely believe the responsibility to defend is not just for the goalkeeper and defenders of the team,” Rasquinha told to India.com in a virtual interaction on Friday.
“It’s the entire team starting with our first line of defence which is the forwards. When the Indian team loses the ball, everybody becomes a defender. If the forward line re-tackles a lot, it will help the pressure off the defenders. This will involve a lot of running, and a lot of fitness, but that’s where we have to use the rolling substitutions very intelligently,” he added.
A day to go before we start off our @19thAGofficial campaign here at #Hangzhou China and this beautiful ground is all set 💪🏼@TheHockeyIndia @Media_SAI #IndiaKaGame #TeamIndia #FieldHockey pic.twitter.com/fDPUXWUmyL
— Manpreet Singh (@manpreetpawar07) September 23, 2023
Following a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian team went out of track, finishing a disappointing ninth at home World Cup in Bhubaneswar. It also led to chief coach Graham Reid’s ouster.
With Craig Fulton taking charge, the Indian team came back strongly to claim the Asian Champions Trophy title in Chennai last month, which also propelled them to the top three in world rankings.
The 43-year-old Rasquinha, who quit hockey to pursue management studies, also asked the Indian team to not be complacent against any team, no matter whatever their ranking is. “Everyone has a role to play especially in defence.
“When you put on that blue jersey, you have to run your hearts out. If you go a goal down against teams like Japan and Malaysia, they can make it very difficult for you because they put all 11 men in defense and won’t give you any gap and breathing space.
“It’s important that we should not be complacent against any team,” he added. India’s match against Uzbekistan starts at 8:45 AM IST on Sunday.
(The extensive coverage for the continental sporting spectacle — Asian Games 2023 will be broadcast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 4, and Sony Sports Ten 5 channels (SD & HD) with Hindi and English commentary for the broadcast sports and will be live streamed on Sony LIV.)