It is not for nothing, there is a very strong emotional connect between India and hockey at the Olympics. The rich history of the past has always been awe-inspiring, though, for almost 41 years, the same sport was rubbished and abused for failure to win medals in the Olympics.
If, today, one rewinds to the dark days of the Covid pandemic, and recalls what Team India achieved in the Tokyo Olympics, one is flooded by a whirlpool of emotions. Come on, for so long, the team had prepared well before the Olympic dream went bust.
Memories from that bronze medal match in August 2021, are stored for posterity, where India defeated strong Germany 5-4 for bronze. How can one forget the efforts of Simranjeet Singh, who pumped in two goals, while Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh accounted for one goal each? This medal was, indeed, a historic one after the highs of Moscow in 1980, in a diluted field. For a nation which had won eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals before the Tokyo effort, hockey has generated intense passion among fans. For those who were lucky enough to see pure and pristine hockey played on grass (natural turf), the wizardry of Late Dhyan Chand, and of course, Late Balbir Singh, a triple Olympian, can never be forgotten. To recall many more heroes from that golden era will be historical, but the context is present - the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Diving into archives of hockey from the past are not as good as cricket, yet for those who want to recall the artistry and mesmerising skills of Dhyan Chand, the stick was always glued to the ball. Today, from wooden sticks to graphite versions, everything has changed. Yes, the game is speedier, where there is no room, any longer, for individual skills. The age-old pyramid formation 5-3-2-1 is history.
