You may find him on a news channel that’s about fuss talk and no action.

A freebie actor, panellist, columnist, anchor and what not; Suhel Seth is just good at everything but wait not all.

The veteran man attracted controversy recently when he put his foot in the mouth at the Times Literature Festival in Mumbai on Sunday after failing to recognise Indian Olympian and former men’s hockey team captain Viren Rasquinha on the dais.

Seth asked asked why Rasquinha was included in the panel for sports and that’s where the former has courted controversy.

Any sports lover or outside it would know who Viren Rasquinha.

The Mumbai-born is an Arjuna Award winner and has also won the gold medal at the 2001 Junior World Cup, the 2003 Asia Cup and the 2003 Afro-Asia Games. The 34-year old is also the COO of the Olympic Gold Quest which handles famous players like Saina Nehwal amongst many.

And that’s that. Viren got pissed and then this followed –

Had an excellent session @TimesLitFest on the next big thing in sports. And an unfortunate encounter with an obnoxious Suhel Seth 1/5

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) December 7, 2014

As my session ended, Suhel Seth comes on stage and says “don’t know what that bald guy was doing on a panel on sport, whats he done” 2/5

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) December 7, 2014

It’s so disappointing when I am invited by the Times Lit fest to speak and get dissed on stage by a guy who doesn’t even know who I am. 3/5

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) December 7, 2014

Even more disappointing to have the times lit fest director Bachchi Karkaria behave condescendingly. What’s with these cosy clubs 4/5

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) December 7, 2014

I really do wonder though how Suhel Seth holds forth on everything under the sun and what exactly is his domain expertise 5/5

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) December 7, 2014

The above outrage of from Rasquinha is evident. How could one attack verbally on stage to a sports persona who has represented this country onto the world stage and made every citizen proud. But here is one man that is just a blabber on news channels especially one where the lady anchor is ‘just a name’ in the news business. Suhel Seth might by extricating himself from controversies on news channels and newspaper columns but the former’s language at the Times Literature Festival against Viren Rasquinha is shameful not the least.

Even as Twitter outpoured with outrage and discontent over Seth’s dialogue; the latter later tweeted stating his apology to Viren. But the fire had already caught and there was no letting off Suhel even if there was an offer of apology or social displeasure. When Maria Sharapova said she didn’t knew who Sachin Tendulkar was, not only India but the whole world cracked down on the Russian tennis siren on Twitter and Facebook. Even as Sachin played down the statement, it left a sour taste on the Indian fans especially the Sachin Tendulkar devotees.

But Suhel’s was worse than that of Maria! He did the worst impersonation of the former world number 1. in tennis and perhaps that’s why the downpour. Perhaps it’s time for this news channel loyalist to pick up the papers or perhaps GOOGLE in prior to dictating terms!

The post Suhel Seth Is No Purist, This Guy Is Just An NDTV Lovie-Dovie appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

After the highs at Incheon, Indian Hockey has gone to a terrible low! Just weeks after guiding India to its historic gold medal at the Asian Games, Oz coach Terry Walsh has resigned as chief hockey coach.

According to an email sent by Hockey India president Narinder Batra, Walsh forwarded his resignation to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) with whom he was contracted. The crux of the matter behind Walsh’s walk away is the payment issues with the same.

In a letter dated October 19, Terry Walsh wrote, “I am finding considerable difficulty adjusting to the decision making style of the sporting bureaucracy in India which I believe, in the long term, is not in the best interests of Indian hockey or its players. In addition to my difficulties with not being able to professionally operate within these bureaucratic confines I am not willing to continue with the constant time away from my family in Australia. My current commitment places too much stress on my personal life.”

All was going absolutely inch perfect for Indian hockey with the latest feat coming from the young turks who clinced the Sultan Johor Cup beating Great Britain 2-1 in the Finals. More was promised from Indian hockey as the Men In Blue will be also participating in the Rio Olympics and more so, with the upcoming FIH Champions Trophy on the horizon, Terry Walsh was in full swing to prepare the gold medal winners.

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has promised action into this incident but it’s too late for it. Such apathy in the Indian hockey federation shows how in freefall our administrators are running the business. Even with our boys doing all the ‘business’ on the field, the men who run the action, are not such trustworthy at all!

Hockey India’s High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans hoped that things would be sorted out between Walsh and his employer so as to pave the way for the Australian’s stay till 2016 Olympics.

In a statement to the press he said, “I am sad about it because we have really grouped together well in the past one year. There was real improvement in the performance of the team. I would like Terry to continue but he has his personal reasons to do what he has done and in the end you have to respect that. We started certain processes and that should continue. I am still hopeful that negotiations will lead to Terry’s stay till Rio,” the legendary Dutchman added.

But Walsh’s contract officially expires on November 19 this year, but his surprised resignation raises eyebrows in and around Indian Hockey administrators.

The post Desperate Measures: Terry Walsh’s Walkout Highlights Indian Hockey’s Poor Admin appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Rivalry will be at its peak in the Asian Games hockey final when India take on neighbours Pakistan in the gold medal match, with the winner earning a ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

India go into this tie with revenge at stake after losing in a closely fought game in the previous meeting between these familiar foes. A 1-2 loss against Pakistan wasn’t enough for Sardar Singh and co. as the young side fought their way back and now are in line for a gold medal berth. The match promises to be of severe intensity and expect some high-flying tackles, fan support and some nervy moments.

If history is to go by, the neighbours last played in the men’s hockey final in the Asian Games way back in 1982 at New Delhi’s Dhyan Chand Stadium where Pakistan emerged with a shock 7-1. But don’t expect this game to have that bearing as both the sides have gone through transition period.

India, who have never made it into a gold medal contest at the Asian Games, will have to rely on their forward line to flush in the goals. The likes of Rupinderpal Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Mandeep Singh have to step up to the plate. The midfield duo of Sardar Singh and Manpreet Singh has to be ever present in the middle of the park if they are to thwart away the Pakistan offence. The Terry Walsh-led side have to be wary of the Pakistan players, who might come back strong after their 2-1 win in the group game.

On the other hand, Pakistan will be relying on their speedy set of goal poachers, apart from skipper Imran Muhammad and Irfan Muhammad. Their leading goal scorer, Mohammed Umar Bhutta who notched one of the two strikes against India, will be looking to add many more and take the Men In Green to glory.

A lot is at stake when these two sides meet but India must look upon the likes of Mary Kom and Sarita Devi to boost their morale and deliver a first ever hockey gold!

The post Indian Hockey Team Ready To Take The Plunge In The Line Of Fire As Gold Medal Clash With Pak Awaits appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The Indian Hockey team has been facing a lot criticism off late but that can take a backseat if the Men In Blue enter the finals of the 17th Asian Games and the 16-year old gold drought when they face a tough South Korea test in the semi-finals.

The Sardar Singh-led side lost to Pakistan 1-2 but came back strongly against China 2-0 in their fourth and last league match to qualify for the last-four and earn a gold medal.

India, who last won gold in the 1998 Bangkok Games, will be looking to add more glory to their shelf with a berth at the Rio 2016 Olympics. However, to achieve that, the Indian hockey side have to seal a lot of loopholes that are ailing them currently.

The defence is still lacking thrust and capability to thwart away the opposition attack and it was quite evident against the Pakistan game. The attack has still not got the ‘killer instinct’ to kill off and the midfield has yet to stamp an authority in the middle of the park.

With most of the players young and ripe, their maiden Asian Games sojourn is proving too much to handle. The strategy of depending on earning penalty corners to move ahead in matches, might cost the team dearly. India is relying on ace flicker, V R Raghunath to bail them out whereas the likes of Sunil Tirkey, Chinglensana Singh, Danish Mujtaba and Birendra Lakra have not fired in big games.

Rupinder Pal has been side’s top scorer with 6 goals while VR Raghunath has scored five, from penalty corners and penalty strokes. India cannot take the four-time gold medal winners Korea lightly as the Asian giants are lethal on the attack and penalty corners as well. Drag-flick expert Jang Jonhyun, who has already fired 5, is the leading goal scorer of the tournament so far. How the Indian defence tackles him, remains to be seen.

The Indian hockey team has been receiving flak from ex-players and pundits for the style of play and defending but the Aussie coach Terry Walsh will be looking to silence the mouths of many.

The Indian team’s think tank will be hoping that the defence stands up to the Korean threat and take them to its 12th Asiad final and more so, earn a gold medal!

The post Why Indian Hockey Team Needs To ‘Go For Gold’ In Their Do-Or-Die Semi-Final Against South Korea? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

In a crunch match and that too, against arch-rivals Pakistan, the Indian hockey team wasted chances galore as they lost 2-1 in a key Pool B match at the Asian Games 2014.

Touted as a ‘must watch’ in the competition due to the rivalry amongst the two sides, as per expectations it turned out to be a thrilling contest.

Even though Pakistan edged out India in this riveting fixture, there are reasons to be cheerful for the Men In Blue. Despite the loss, the Indian hockey team shouldn’t be depressed or sad about the loss as the former have an edge in these 5 reasons mentioned below. What are those reasons, well, let’s find out:

1 – Pakistani actors in Bollywood
The Pakistan hockey fans and team can brag about the loss as much as they want but the Indian half could shut them up with one reason – their actors. Recently, the likes of Fawad Khan (Khoobsurat), Humaima Malik (Raja Natwarlal), Imran Abbas Naqvi (Creature 3D) and Ali Zafar have acted in Bollywood movies opposite top stars and directors. Most probably, they are earning recognition here, more, than that back in Pakistan’s Tollywood.

2 – Pakistan’s slip-up in the medal tally
Despite the lost, Pakistan has yet to hit the gold. Our neighbours are well below the medal tally, sitting 23rd in the table. Our count in the table (updated) is 17 to theirs 1 (bronze). So, cheer up Indians, all’s not lost here.

3 – We’ve got the Hockey India League
Have Pakistan got an IPL-styled hockey league? No, they haven’t that’s because India has one in the Hockey India League (HIL). Moreover, players from around the world including Germany and Australia play in the teams like Ranchi Rhinos and Delhi Waveriders. Even though Pakistan too has their players representing in the league, the former has yet to achieve big time on the global stage.

4 – Financially ahead
If our team is compared with Pakistan, in terms of finance, we are more stable. Pakistan hockey team, ever since the terror attacks have been unable to welcome any international sides in their arena for competitive games which has their governing board, hard.

5 – Our star studded line-up
Even though the Pakistan fans will rant about the win over India in the hockey match, the Men In Blue still have better players than their neighbours. Admit it, the likes of Sardar Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Mandeep Singh amongst others have the potential at the highest level unlike the Pakistan’s’ players.

So chin up Indian boys, it’s not over until it’s over!

The post 5 Reasons To Be Cheerful For The Indian Hockey Team Despite The Loss To Pakistan appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

With a satisfactory show in the Commonwealth Games behind them, the Indian contingent will be looking to take one step ahead as the much anticipated Asian Games 2014 kicks off in Incheon, China.

Last time India participated in the games, they won 14 gold medals which were held in Guangzhou four years ago. That was India’s best show of medals tally and will look to add more medals this time around with the list of athletes already gone through some chopping before arriving on the Chinese shores.

The Indian contingent consists of 516 athletes and 163 coaches and support staff who will participate in a total of 28 disciplines as against 35 last time around. So who are the athletes which can get the glory days to the nation? Can India win 20 gold medals this time around?

These athletes are our pride and the hopes are pinned on them. Who are they?

Yogeshwar Dutt (Wrestling):

One of the star names to be listed in the Indian contingent, Yogeshwar Dutt remains India’s best bet to win gold at the Incheon Asian Games 2014. After Sushil Kumar’s unavailability, Yogeshwar will look to end India’s 28-year wait for a wrestling gold, which was last won in 1986 by Kartar Singh. Dutt will wrestle in the 65kg freestyle.

PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap (badminton):

After a historic bronze at the World Championships, Hyderabadi PV Sindhu will be looking to make amends and land India a medal. Saina Nehwal will be India’s best bet for a gold and so will P Kashyap, who will be making his mark in the men’s singles category.

Gagan Narang (shooting):

After bagging a silver and a bronze medal in 50-metre Rifle Prone and 50-metre Rifle 3 Position at the Commonwealth Games, ace shooter Gagan Narang will look to switch gears at the Asian Games with atleast a gold medal!

Preeja Sreedharan (athletics):

India have not produced a PT Usha in recent years but Preeja Sreedharan could make a mark in the relay events. After her gold medal win in Guangzhou four years ago in the 10000m event, Preeja can surely not be discounted this time around as well. At this year’s Asian Games, Preeja will be participating in the 5000m as well.

MC Marykom (boxing):

After raking in the vanilla points with a Bollywood biopic, boxer MC Marykom is all set to roar at the Asian Games 2014 after the frustration of failing to qualify for Glasgow CWG.

Deepika Kumari (archery): Indian archery has performed well over the years and that’s because of former world number one, Deepika Kumari. After having missed out on a bronze medal in Guangzhou four years ago, Deepika will be looking to make amends of the loss at the Asian Games in Incheon.

Indian hockey team:

The Indian hockey team has not performed well recently, with a poor show at the CWG as well. But Aussie coach Terry Walsh has taken a mixture of youth and experienced players to the Asian Games with skipper Sardar Singh leading from the front.

With the Asian Games all set to go in motion, every Indian fan will be inching to see their favourite athlete perform at the highest and earn a gold medal of the utmost honour!

The post Asian Games 2014: India Is Pinning Hopes On These Stars To Bring Back The Glory Days appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Alas, being a sports person in this country is really, really an upbeat task!

Except if you have loads of cash and the family wants to be the next ‘Virat Kohli’ or ‘MS Dhoni’ of this country.

But what about of the rest who want to be the next ‘Dhanraj Pillay’ or ‘PT Usha’ of this country?

Can’t they be one?

No, they can’t because our sports ministries and the government are just “too busy” socialising on the media or doing a field trip around the world.

And that’s what has caused the death of a 20-year old hockey player from Sangrur in Punjab.

Rajwinder Kaur ended her life by coming under a train after failing to pay the fees for the second year of her BA (Bachelor of Arts) course.

Rajwinder was a participant at the Junior National Hockey Championships from Punjab and had also taken part in the state championships as many as four times. Her father Surinder Singh said in a quote to a news channel saying, “She wanted to get admission in BA second year, but the economic condition of the family was very bad and we could not arrange admission fee for her. She got upset, following which she took the extreme step.”

Her family said that Rajwinder was missing since August 5. It was the next day that they got to know of the incident, when her body was discovered at a local railway track. Her father put on a brave face upon hearing the sad news and criticised the government.

He said, “Rajvinder was a very talented girl, she was also good in studies and wanted to become a police officer. She started playing hockey in her childhood. At the age of 10, she won her first medal in a school tournament. I think, my poverty and the government’s negligence were equally responsible for her death.”

So what was our Indian Sports Minister thinking at that time?

Well, here’s what Sarbananda Sonowal had to say in taking Indian sports ahead. “We also welcome suggestions and criticism from everyone. We are here to serve Indian sports. We have a common goal and any tussle within the family can’t be healthy. We seek collective support for the benefit of our sportspersons,” the Sports Minister was speaking in an interaction with the journalists.

Furthermore he adds, “There is no place for corruption and emphasis should largely be on good governance. Sportsmen need encouragement and I would stress on transparency in selection. All National Sports Federations and the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) have been sounded out in this regard.”

Thank you Mr. Sports Minster for those ‘generous words’ but the flowery language looks good on paper and magazines but in real life, they seem to part of blasphemy.

Just look at your Sports Ministry!

What have they done till now?

Mr. Narendra Modi had envisaged a bright future for this country before coming into power but one cannot see any light ahead! Besides the cricket phenomena, sports like hockey, tennis and now even kabbaddi has pulled up the strings. Unless and until, the words are not put into ACTION, there can be no forgiving for such types of misogynist government at hand!

If today, this nation saw a Rajwinder Kaur depart to the heavens, may be there’s one more waiting in the wings! ACT, GOVERNMENT, ACT!

“There’s a bright spot in every dark cloud” quotes Bruce Beresford.

The post Hockey Player Commits Suicide: Is The Future Of Sports At Stake With The Current Ministry? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

After demonstrating a colossal effort against a formidable New Zealand side in the semis, India set to battle it out once again against the mighty Aussies in the final for the gold medal hunt at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

After trailing 0-2, India brought themselves back into the game thanks to the strikes from skipper Rupinder Singh Pal, Ramandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh, who ensured at least a silver medal for the country. India missed the services of their influential midfielder Sardar Singh in the semis clash but will be relieved to have him back in the crunch game against the Oz.

India’s opponents in the final, the mighty Aussies won’t give an easy ride at all. The current world cup champions dominated the Hockey World for quite some time now and will look to continue their winning ways in the final against the Indians. The Aussies recently lifted their second World Cup title in a row and a third overall and will be looking to add a gold medal. During the Commonwealth Games, the side from Down Under topped their pool without losing any game and have crushed each and every opponent on their way to the finals against India.

The Aussies will be chasing their fifth consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and it will take a gruelling task for India to outdo their opponents who have already faced each other. In the pool game, Australia dished out a 4-2 thrashing to India. The only soothing moment for the Indians was that the scoreline that was not bad as their previous meetings. Remember the 2010 CWG final where the same opponent handed out a 8-0 drubbing.

All hopes are pinned on the likes of Ramandeep Singh, Sardar Singh and Rupinder Singh Pal to deliver the goods at the crunch clash. India were not lethal enough during their World Cup sojourn in the Netherlands where they succumbed under pressure and in turn lost the matches. But there are some changes in this team at the CWG and hopefully, India will avert the dangers of the previous meetings and land a gold medal!

The post CWG 2014: India Out For Revenge Against The Aussies In The Final For The Gold Medal appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Even though Team India lost the group game to Australia 4-2 in hockey, they will look to avert any such debacle as the New Zealand come calling in the all-important semis clash of the Commonwealth Games on Saturday.

But here’s the big deal – the Indian hockey men have to face the Kiwis without their influential midfielder, Sardar Singh.

The skipper has been suspended for one match following his second dangerous offence in the tournament.

Sardar was reprimanded during the Australia game and was followed by a yellow card against South Africa. The authorities initially had handed him a two-match ban but after an appeal by the Indian contingent, the suspension was reduced to one.

So how will the Indian hockey team do without their midfield maestro in the semi-final clash against the Kiwis?

Coach Terry Walsh has taken a balanced team to the CWG that saw the Men in Blue win three out of their allotted four matches. Walsh’s side has a fair combination of experience and youngsters and no wonder; the results are there to see.

The likes of VR Raghunath, Rupinder Pal Singh add the vital experience to the side with the likes of Akashdeep Singh and Yuvraj Walmiki adding the youth side to it. Rewinding the clock back to the 1998 at Kuala Lumpur, Team India had tasted success over the Black Sticks but in 2006 Melbourne edition, New Zealand emerged victorious, beating India 2-1 in the 5-6 position playoff. India did not play the Kiwis in 2010 Delhi Games where the hosts settled for silver while the New Zealand took away the bronze medal.

New Zealand are current favourites going into this tie with former ranked number 6 in the world and New several players in the side have more international experience to their name. Their main man will be penalty corner specialist Andy Hayward, who will look to pile up more goals and misery for the Indian hockey team.

Clearly from the outset, Team India looks a bit shaky and deflated (without Sardar Singh). The steel and nerves of Sardar will be missed immensely in the midfield but some of the seniors have to step up the plate and take the team home. Its either make or break for the Hockey side who might not see the light at the end of the tunnel after all!

The post CWG 2014: Will Indian Hockey Team Miss The Services Of Sardar Singh In The Semi Clash? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

After an unprecedented success achieved in the last edition (2010), it would be hard to replicate this time after the dropping of a few disciplines but the Indian contingent are upbeat after getting back in the Olympic fold.

With a 215-strong Indian contingent leading the front, a top-five finish in the 20th Commonwealth Games which starts today, beckons. So who could land the coveted medal for the country? We take a look at these stars who could clinch the all important glory for the India at the CWG 2014 in Glasgow:

Abhinav Bindra:
India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra will be leading the shooters’ charge in Glasgow. Bindra is amongst the top-ranked shooters in the world and his experience could prove vital for India to clinch a medal the CWG.

Indian hockey team:
Even though they had a disappointing Hockey World Cup in Holland recently, the Indian hockey side will be looking to bring smiles back as they aim for gold this time. Led by the influential Sardar Singh, the Indian hockey team might meet the Aussies in the final who had thrashed them 8-0 back then in 2010.

PV Sindhu:
With Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal pulling out of the CWG recently, all hopes are pinned on shuttler PV Sindhu to make the cut in Glasgow. The youngster showed her worth as the next big sensation in Indian badminton when she won the bronze medal at the World Championship in China and also clinched two Grand Prix Gold – Malaysia and Macau last year.

Amit Kumar Dahiya:
One of the youngest wrestler in the Indian delegation, Amit Kumar Dahiya was a silver medalist at the 2013 World Wrestling Championships and could be one of the medal hopefuls in the Commonwealth Games.

Sushil Kumar:
Winning a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Sushil Kumar took a giant leap forward by clinching a silver in the 66 kg Free Style Wrestling category at the 2012 London Olympics. He remains India’s best bet of landing a gold medal as far as Wrestling category is concerned.

Vijay Kumar:
During the 2010 Commonwealth Games, shooter Vijay Kumar won three gold medals and a silver but the big moment came when landed a silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Vijender Singh:
Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh is another medal hopeful as he leads the Indian boxing contingent in Glasgow.

Krishna Poonia:
Discus-thrower Krishna Poonia was the first Indian woman athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games back in 2010 and could repeat the feat.

Parupalli Kashyap
In the men’s category, shuttler Parupalli Kashyap will lead the line of bidding for a medal at the CWG. Kashyap, who had finished with a bronze at the Delhi Commonwealth Games four years ago, will be aiming for a straight gold this time around.

Yogeshwar Dutt:
During the Delhi 2010 CWG, Yogeshwar defied the odds by winning a gold for India. Two years later, he won a bronze medal in the freestyle 60 kg category at the 2012 London Olympics. A medal can be expected from the Haryana-born wrestler.

Indian squash contingent:
The Indian squash team will be spearheaded by ace squash players, Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal, who are seeded fourth and sixth respectively in the singles.

So with the above hopefuls ready to make the tricolour proud, let’s hope that they do our country proud. And most importantly, our support is compulsory without whom these stars won’t be able to succeed.

The post Pledge Your Support To These Medal Hopefuls At The 2014 Commonwealth Games In Glasgow appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The Indian hockey team has hardly been in places over the years with disappointing run-ins in major tourneys and not to forget that dismal performance in the London Olympics 2012. But the Men In Blue will look to start afresh as they go against one of Europe’s rising hockey powerhouse Belgium in the World Cup opener on Saturday.

Gone are the days when India ruled the sport of hockey as the Sardar Singh-led team is aspiring to give a credible show in the World Cup, where India has not qualified for the semi-finals for nearly four decades since the title triumph of 1975 in Kuala Lumpur. European Cup runners-up Belgium are the new powerhouse to contend with after making impressive strides in the past three years.

India last met the Belgians during the 2011 Champions Challenge in Johannesburg where they upstaged India in the last five minutes to clinch the title after conceding a two-goal lead. In what could be a cause for concern, the Belgians have lost just one of the past four key encounters with India. The Belgians went on to post a victory over India in the 2012 Olympics Games but Sardar’s men avenged that defeat as India hung on to a lone-goal lead in the quarter-finals of the Champions Trophy in Melbourne later that year.

On Saturday, the Indians will seek to avenge their past defeats, and get off to a flying start in the World Cup. India are drawn in Group A alongside defending champions Australia, formidable Spain and Belgium, beside 2012 Olympic semi-finalists England and fast improving Malaysia.

The key player for Team India will be skipper Sardar Singh while the likes of Yuvraj Walmiki, who is making his debut in this World Cup, could also spring a surprise. In his pre-match presser, Sardar added that, “We’re ready for the big moment.” The challenge is before them and the under-achievers need to perform at their highest level, if they are achieve some success. Coach Terry Walsh stated prior to the tournament that the team is focussing on a top-6 finish. Well, if the players perform to their potential, then anything is possible.

The likes of Ramandeep Singh, Birendra Lakra, VR Raghunath etc. need to buck up and raise the level of their game. With the likes of Australia and Belgium in their way, India have a tough task on their hands.

The post Hockey WC: Team India Aiming For A Solid Start Against Belgium appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Delhi Waveriders overcame Punjab Warriors in a sensational penalty shoot-out to capture their maiden Hockey India League (HIL) crown at the Morabadi Stadium here on Sunday. Waveriders, who finished runners-up in the inaugural HIL last year, were second time lucky as they beat Warriors 3-1 in the shoot-out after both teams scored three goals apiece during regular play. Goalkeeper Nicolas Jacobi turned out to be the saviour for Waveriders in a high-scoring contest. The Delhi team walked away with the title and Rs.2.5 crore in prize money while Warriors got half that amount.

Earlier, Ranchi Rhinos defeated Uttar Pradesh Wizards in another penalty shoot-out to finish third. It was tipped to be a cracker of a final with the top two teams of the league stage battling it out. Warriors shocked Waveriders by scoring in the second minute through Mark Knowles. The Australian caught Jacobi off-guard with a rasping hit to the right side of the cage.

While Warriors continued to attack, Waveriders managed a penalty corner against the momentum. Rupinder Pal Singh’s crisp strike was blocked by Lucas Rey, who was standing to the left of Warriors’ goalie Jaap Stockmann.

Warriors kept on creating chances, the two of which were saved brilliantly by German custodian Jacobi. Waveriders also started penetrating the circle often and found the crucial equalizer towards the end of second quarter. Lloyd Norris Joness’ reverse flick blasted into the net, orchestrating his run in from the left flank to good effect. The Delhi franchise found themselves leading by a goal at the stroke of half time. Rupinder’s drag-flick was blocked but his skipper Sardar Singh intercepted the ball and swept it past Stockmann.

The third quarter saw exhilarating stuff with Warriors scoring a double to take the lead once again before the match was leveled at 3-3. Shivendra Singh added to the goal spree deflecting a lightening pass from Gurmail Singh into the net. Affan Yousuf whacked one inside to give Warriors the advantage which was negated by Waveriders forward Yuvraj Walmiki, whose diagonal hit from the right flank was too quick for Stockmann.

Warriors came out with strong purpose in the final quarter. They entered the striking circle repeatedly but all their attempts were thwarted by Jacobi. The Punjab outfit was disappointing in the shoot-out missing their first three attempts including one from their captain and Australian great Jamie Dwyer.

Veteran Rajpal Singh missed the lone chance for Waveriders while Australian Rob Hammond was the only one to convert for Punjab. Leading 2-1, Steven Edwards needed to find the net to win it for his team and he did just that, sending a capacity crowd into raptures and triggering fireworks. In the battle for bronze, Ranchi Rhinos and Uttar Pradesh Wizards were tied at 1-1 after 70 minutes. Drag-flick specialist V.R. Raghunath struck for Wizards in the 15th minute before Manrpeet Singh foxed three defenders to level the match in the 30th minute.

Ashley Jackson, captain Moritz Furste and Bosco del Perez scored for Rhinos in the shoot-out and the strikes from Wizards’ Nitin Thimmaiah and Edward Ockenden went in vain. Rhinos pocketed Rs.75 lakh as prize money.

The post Delhi Waveriders Crowned HIL Champions After Dramatic Shoot-Out appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Ever since Cricket turned to an ‘EPL-equé’ fanfare in India, it paved way for other sports to follow the same model. The likes of Badminton, Golf, Boxing and Hockey inundated itself into pools of money and bringing in talent from worldwide to become a grand spectacle. Even though the Indian Premier League sits atop of ‘sports leagues’ in India, here’s presenting the Hockey India League (HIL) who has 22 players running around a ball with sticks in their hands. Launched in 2013, by Hockey India, the HIL took immediately.

Setting up in cities that are ‘hockey borne’, the Hockey India League kicked off amongst media frenzies, politicians and Bollywood stars. Furthermore, just as the ICC sanctioned an ‘auction month’ for the IPL, same way, The International Hockey Federation (FIH) certified the event and also provided a 30-day window at the beginning of a year so that all top players can participate.

The first season of the HIL saw Ranchi Rhinos become champions after defeating Delhi Waveriders 2–1 in the final. Even though it tasted success in the first year, the second season promised alot (see the ads on television) but has it stepped up the plate? India’s largest leading sports channel, STAR India announced a mass investment in excess of Rs. 1500 crore in hockey over the next eight years in order to promote the game. Not that it is appealing but investing an amount onto a sport that is still to lure crowds to stadiums. The risk taken by Star is commendable but will it appeal?

Here is what Star is been upto this year:

• Star Sports has hired International Management Group (IMG) to produce the second edition of HIL. Israel-based specialised sports agency Prometheus has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing cutting edge graphics suitable for hockey broadcast.

• The broadcaster will use as many as 20 cameras for the very first time in the history of the sport for each and every match during the league. Star Sports will be treating HIL at par with international cricket.

• The league will be showcased not only in English on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports HD1 but will also be showcased in Hindi on Star Sports 3.

• Starsports.com will stream all matches live for hockey loving fans across the world. There will be pre- and post-match shows as well.

This sounds interesting but why has HIL failed to lure in the ratings amongst the sports lovers? The schedule of HIL is not a problem (matches are scheduled everday) but with Football a major craze amongst the Indians (second after Cricket), how can one find time to watch a hockey game. On weekends, or even weekdays, if a football match which is has Manchester United clashing with Chelsea or Real Madrid taking on Barcelona, how can one tune to into watch a Mumbai Magicians versus Delhi Waveriders! Secondly, HIL has failed to promote its teams on a larger stage and so its players – the likes of Jamie Dwyer have not attracted media galloping.

Also, if Star does fail to broadcast its EPL games that are in line with the HIL ones, expect a backlash from fans.

And if they (Star) still wish to broadcast the India’s 2013 heroics, with the likes of Perfect Pujara and Outstanding Ojha also around, well you got to feel sorry for the channel itself.

So, this may be just the beginning of the HIL journey this year but with a poor start, how can one expect to finish it on a stronger note? The Indian Hockey team – anyone.

The post Has Hockey India League Lived Up To Its Hype? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Indian hockey might have away from the spotlight for a while now but here comes a chance to be at the forefront as a new-look Indian side, under the helm of newly appointed coach, Terry Walsh, go into the inaugural Hero Hockey World League Final where the team will open their campaign against higher-ranked England on their home turf. Tough opponents further awaits them but that should be their worry at all.

Sardar Singh who will lead side, should see this as a perfect opportunity as to where does Indian hockey rank among the world greats. Even though, our side is ranked number 10. in the world, the tournament will provide India a perfect build up for the World Cup to be held later this year at The Hague, Netherlands. With the World’s top seven teams in fray here, India could not have asked for better preparation for the quadrennial event. India should consider themselves lucky to be one of the participating teams in the HWL Final. India are also slated to host the prestigious Champions Trophy later this year and it is now high time the past masters of the game take advantage of these big-ticket opportunities.

The past couple of years have been woeful to say the least. Apart from the silver medal in the Asia Cup, India didn’t have anything major to show in 2013. The Indians finished a disappointing sixth in the Hockey World League semi-finals in Rotterdam, but the tournament provides the eight-time Olympic champions a perfect stage to prove their detractors wrong. But a tough road lies ahead as heavyweights – Germany, Australia and Netherlands await. India are placed in Pool A along side reigning Olympic champions and world number one Germany, world No. 4 England and seventh-ranked New Zealand. Pool B consists of Australia, Netherlands, Belgium and Argentina.

Coach Terry Walsh, who took over from Michael Nobbs, has ‘other goals’ in sights. As quoted in the Times of India, Walsh says, “Our goal is improvement as we go through the tournament. We want to see improvement in four areas — physiological, psychological, tactical and basic skills.”

Even though, the Indian hockey team do not remain the ‘favourites’, the hope of playing at home conditions and without any favorable pressure, can add spark to success in cusp for glory.

With Agencies inputs

Photo: Hockey India

The post Will India shine bright in the Hockey World League Final? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Despite leading 3-1 till the 58th minute, India on Tuesday blew away their chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals after being forced to a 3-3 draw by South Korea in a dramatic finish in the last Pool C match of the Hockey Junior World Cup at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.

After going 0-1 down in the 16th minute in their must-win tie, India struck back with three consecutive goals, almost securing their last eight berth.

But penalty corner specialist Seungju You destroyed India’s dreams by scoring twice again and levelling the match in the last 12 minutes of the thrilling encounter.

With the end of the league phase, the Netherlands, who beat Canada 7-0 earlier in the day, topped Pool C with nine points from three wins.

Korea and India both have four points but the former go into the quarterfinals with a better goal difference. Canada, however, finished fourth on zero points.

India took off aggressively, earning a penalty corner early in the second minute but Amit Rohidas’ drag flick was wayward and India missed the chance to go ahead.

The visitors responded by earning their first penalty corner (fifth minute) but luck was on India’s side as You’s stroke hit the top bar and the ball kept out to the delight of the fans.

India maintained majority of the possession and created several chances which the forward line was unable to convert, like the previous two matches against the Dutch and Canada.

Korea’s 13th minute penalty corner taken by You also went above the bar but the drag flicker did not miss his third chance and put Korea ahead in the 16th minute.

India earned their second penalty corner in the 29th minute but Rohidas missed his chance to equalise once again. Two minutes later another penalty corner came India’s way but this time Gurjinder, who scored the winning goal against Canada, equalised for India.

At the stroke of halftime, India doubled their lead when Gurjinder struck from another penalty corner.

Gurjinder got another chance in the second period (44th minute) but this time the Korean defenders knew he would take the strike and attacked him, forbidding India to extend their lead.

Backed by the crowd which had found its voice after the two goals, India attacked and created several opportunities in which their best chance came when Ramandeep Singh struck the ball inside the D but Korean goalie Lee Seyoung made an excellent diving save to keep the ball out.

The home side then scored in the 45th minute via Mandeep Singh, who deflected an accurate pass by Satbir Singh into the target. Then Malak Singh sent the ball inside the Korean goal but a video referral proved the ball went in after hitting his thigh.

You then silenced the crowds by scoring two goals in a span of two minutes (58th and 60th), making his hat-trick, and putting Korea level with India 3-3 — in effect putting Korea in the quarters.

India made desperate attempts in the last 10 minutes but Korea held on to the scoreline. India will now play the 9-12 position classifications matches Thursday.

Pool C results: Netherlands beat Canada 7-0, India draw South Korea 3-3.

IANS

The post Hockey Junior WC: India fail to qualify for quarters appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Rising hockey star Manpreet Singh, who will be leading the 18-member Indian team in the 18-nation Junior World Cup, said on Wednesday that they were ready to face the Netherlands in their first match. Manpreet, who was announced as the captain Wednesday at a glittering ceremony organised by Hockey India (HI), feels that the first match could change things for India.

“We are well prepared and the focus is on the match against Holland. We are practicing keeping in mind the challenge that will be posed by Holland. We are putting a lot of emphasis on penalty corner conversion and playing attacking game. We will get good results,” Manpreet said.

Manpreet said that Germany, Australia and Argentina will pose a big challenge for India. Instead of making tall promises, Manpreet said the team will take one match at a time. “We will do well, but I don’t make any tall promises. We will go step by step. The immediate target is to do well against Holland. I have learnt a lot of things playing with the senior team and will try to apply those things,” he said.

Though it is a junior World Cup, all the 18 boys have played with the senior team and in between they have played 324 international matches. Manpreet is the most experienced player with 85 international caps while Kothajit Singh has 59 in his kitty. Defender Amit Rohidas will be Manpreet’s deputy.

Ramandeep Singh, who made his debut in the Asia Cup, also found a place in the side while talented forward Affan Yousuf has been kept in the stand bys. Coach Gregg Clarke said with just a week left, the whole team was excited for the tournament. “Playing a World Cup at home will be a memorable occasion for the players. We have prepared well and look forward taking on the world’s best,” the South African said.

India are in pool C with the Netherlands, South Korea, Canada. Pool A features Germany, Pakistan, Belgium and Egypt while Australia, Spain, Argentina and France are in pool B. England, New Zealand, South Africa and Malaysia make up group D.

India play the Netherlands in its first match slated for Dec 6 followed by matches against Canada (Dec 7) and South Korea (Dec 10).

Team:
Goalkeepers: Sushant Tirkey, Harjot Singh
Defenders: Gurjunder Singh, Amit Rohidas, Surender Singh, Sukhmanjit Singh, Pardeep Mor, Kothajit Singh
Mid-fielders: Manpreet Singh, Satbir Singh, Harjit Singh, Imran Khan and Prabhdeep Singh
Forwards: Malak Singh, Mandeep Singh, Talwinder Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh
Standbys: Jagdeep Dayal (Goalkeeper), Lalit Upadhyay (Midfielder), Gurmail Singh (Midfielder), Affan Yousuf (Forward)

IANS

Photo: Hockey India

The post India ready for Netherlands: Manpreet appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

India will be hosting the men’s Hockey World Cup for the third time in 2018, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) said.

India first hosted the showpiece event in 1982 in Bombay where Pakistan emerged as the champion. The 2010 World Cup was also hosted by India as a part of test events for the Commonwealth Games and it was won by Australia. While Hockey India (HI) won the bid for the men’s tournament, the women’s event went to England in a glittering ceremony at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Lausanne on Thursday evening.

The women’s tournament in England is scheduled to take place from July 7-21 in 2018 and men’s event will be held later that year, Dec 1-16. “I wish to offer my sincere congratulations to England Hockey and Hockey India on their successful bids to host the Hockey World Cups 2018,” said FIH president Leandro Negre. “The quality of both bids was truly extraordinary, and the FIH is greatly looking forward to bringing its top properties to England and India. I would also like to congratulate all of the National Associations that submitted bids for these events. The standard was exceptionally high, making the decision extremely hard for the FIH Executive Board,” he added.

Alongside the Olympic Games, the Hockey World Cups are the most coveted tournaments. Held every four years, they bring together the world’s greatest teams and most skilful players for the toughest, most competitive international hockey event imaginable. Both the men’s and women’s Hockey World Cups will feature an increased 16-nation field of participants.

Next year’s hugely anticipated Rabobank Hockey World Cup, which takes place in The Hague, Netherlands during the first two weeks of June, will see 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams competing in a mammoth double event.

“The decision certainly was not an easy one to make. All of the bids that we received were exceptional, being completely in line with our strategy to deliver the most entertaining, exciting and inspiring hockey events in the world. The FIH Executive Board were hugely impressed by the bids from England Hockey and Hockey India,” said FIH Chief Executive Officer Kelly Fairweather.

The FIH has been meticulous in its approach to choosing the hosts for the 2018 showpiece events. As part of the bidding process, the FIH requested that bid questionnaires were submitted before a deadline of Aug 31.

The second phase of the process saw each bid evaluated in detail, as well as further discussions, clarifications, site visits and negotiations taking place with the respective National Associations. The final decision was made by the FIH Executive Board in Lausanne on Thursday, bringing the process to an end by naming England and India as the host nations of hockey’s top properties.

IANS

Photo: Hockey India

The post India to host men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018 appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The Hockey India League (HIL) which kicked off this year plans to make it even bigger with the administrators planning to have a  mini players auction starting from November 18, which will see 95 Indian players up for grabs for its next two editions.

HIL chairman Narinder Batra said the quality of competition and success of the inaugural season has created an interest among Indian players who have now signed for a closed bid. The list of Indians has young talented players who have recently performed well at various tournaments.

The list includes the likes of forward Affan Yousuf, vice captain of the Indian junior team that won gold at the Sultan of Johor Cup last month, forward Ramandeep Singh, goalkeeper Harjot Singh, forward Mohammad Amir Khan, forward Nikkin Thimmaiah, and defender Gurjinder Singh, among others, have signed up for the auction.

The list comprises of 10 goalkeepers, 16 defenders, 27 midfielders and 42 forwards.

With IANS inputs

The post 95 Indian players signed up for HIL auction appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

The government is set to appoint renowned Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans as Chief Coordinator and High Performance Director (HPD) for Indian Hockey. He will stay in the role till at least the 2016 Rio Olympics.

This is the first time that the Indian government has sought the services of an HPD. Oltmans was hired by Hockey India as HPD in January as part of its plan to further professionalise the sport in the country. In his extended role, Oltmans will be responsible for ensuring the long term strategy for senior, junior and sub-junior teams. In addition, Oltmans will put in place a professional coaching curriculum.

Oltmans said: “I am happy to strengthen the contacts with India and look forward to work closely together to improve the sport in the country. The past eight months has shown a lot of talented athletes and I am confident that their level will increase by giving them the right support.” “We made a promising start and hopeful of getting better results in the future events.” Oltmans coached the Dutch team for 14 years.

IANS

Image courtesy: Hockey India

The post Oltmans extends association with Indian hockey appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

Hockey India on Tuesday appointed Terry Walsh as the chief coach of Indian men’s hockey team as a replacement to his compatriot Michael Nobbs, who was sacked after a string of poor results. High-performance manager Roelant Oltmans was doubling up as the acting coach followed by Nobbs sacking in July.

The reputed Australian, who acquired a silver medal in the 1976 Montreal Games, comes with a vast experience of coaching and has also represented Australia in three Olympics. Hockey India (HI) secretary general Narinder Batra said that the appointment of Walsh is an important step to ensure an appropriate programme is in place for the senior men’s team.

“2014 is an important year for Indian Hockey. The season which commences with World League Round 4 at Delhi and terminates with Champions Trophy in India. In between, the team will be participating in three very important and prestigious events, i.e FIH Men’s World Cup, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games,” said Batra. “Terence will provide the adequate guidance and motivation to the team. He not only has the experience but also has a vision to develop senior men’s hockey team as a well-knit professional unit,” Batra added.

Walsh is also excited to work with eight-time Olympic champions India. “The opportunity to head the Indian coaching team is extremely humbling. Coaching India must be regarded as the greatest challenge in the hockey world. The world’s richest history in our sport combined with the great passion of Indian hockey sets an incredible platform for excitement, but also expectations in this country,” said Walsh.

“I look forward to working with the players, the coaching staff, Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in ensuring no stone is left unturned with India’s quest to return to the performance pinnacle of world hockey,” said Walsh.

Know Terry Walsh

– Prior to taking up the job of coaching India, Walsh has worked as Technical Director with USA Field Hockey 2005-2012.

-The Australian started his coaching career in 1990 when he worked as head coach of the Malaysian national hockey team till 1994.

-Worked as head coach of the Australian national team from 1997-2000 and under his coaching the team won Commonwealth Games (1998), Champions Trophy (1999) and a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympic Games (2000).

-In 2004, Walsh was head coach of the Netherlands hockey team that won silver medal at the Athens Olympic Games. Walsh is an International Hockey Federation (FIH) Master Coach.

-As a player, Walsh has 175 international caps and has represented Australia in four World Cup campaigns and three Olympic Games, including a silver medal at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

With IANS inputs

The post Who is India’s new Hockey coach, Terry Walsh? appeared first on Youngisthan.in.