Out-of-favour India hockey striker Yuvraj Walmiki on Wednesday faced a peculiar problem as he tried to drain out water which flowed into his house in the wake of the heavy rains in Mumbai. Yuvraj posted a video on his twitter handle, where he was seen trying to drain out ankle-level water from the drawing room of his flat.
In the 28-second video, Yuvraj sought help from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as well as Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray. A red alert has been issued for ‘extremely heavy’ rainfall for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as heavy showers continued for over 24 hours, crippling the city’s lifelines.
The IMD has forecast spells of more heavy to very heavy rainfall for Wednesday and Thursday. Yuvraj, 30, was part of the Indian team that played in the 2014 Word Cup at The Hague in the Netherlands.
His brother Davinder Walmiki also represented India as a defender.
The Indian women’s hockey team once again impressed in defence but couldn’t stop Germany from winning their third consecutive game in the four-match series here in Dusseldorf on Tuesday. World no. 3 Germany won by a 2-0 margin through goals from Sonja Zimmermann (26th) and Franzisca Hauke (42th). Encouraged by their robust defensive display in the second game of the series, the Indian side continued to frustrate the German attackers. The hosts were unable to create any early momentum and had a penalty corner saved in the first quarter. While Germany pushed forward to break the deadlock, the Indian backline stood firm yet again. Germany were awarded a PC early into the second quarter but still couldn’t find a way past India’s defence. The team managed to keep out three PCs in the previous game too.
Germany ended India’s resistance in the form of a goal from the third PC. This time, defender Zimmermann made no mistake as the world no. 3 side started the third quarter with a lead. Germany doubled their advantage shortly before the end of the third quarter with seasoned midfielder Hauke getting on the scoresheet. The German side held on to complete their third successive win.
World No.3 Germany side thrashed world No.9 Indian women’s hockey team 5-0 in the first match of the four-match series on Saturday.
Pia Maertens (10th minute, 14th), Lena Micheel (20th), Pauline Heinz (28th) and Lisa Altenburg (41th) found the back of the net for the hosts.
The Indian team got off to a great start early in the first quarter by earning a penalty corner only in the second minute. However, the German defensive line stepped up and saved India’s shot at the goal. Thereafter, the hosts upped their ante and put extensive pressure on the Indian defence.
They got into great positions and created multiple goal-scoring opportunities. Germany’s Forward Pia Maertens put the hosts in the lead with a goal in the 10th minute and then found the back of the net once again in the 14th minute. The teams went into the first quarter break with Germany leading at 2-0.
In the second quarter, the hosts continued to put pressure on the Indian defence line and earned a penalty corner in the 17th minute. The Indian side saved the penalty corner and counter-attacked immediately. India earned a penalty corner in the very next minute. However, the Germans stood tall and saved India’s shot at the goal once again.
The world No. 3 side rode on the momentum and took a 3-0 lead in the 20th minute when German forward Lena Micheel found an opening and converted it brilliantly. Eight minutes later, the hosts extended their lead to 4-0 after midfielder Pauline Heinz found the back of the net just before half-time.
The Indian team fought hard and tried to make inroads into the German half in the third quarter. However, the hosts fought back and earned a penalty corner in the 40th minute. The Indian defence line stood tall and found a way to ward off the Germans’ shot at the goal. However, the hosts continued to put pressure on India relentlessly and Germany took a 5-0 lead after forward Lisa Altenburg struck a goal in the 41st minute.
At the start of the final quarter, the Indian team showed fantastic character and put Germany on the back-foot straight away. They earned a penalty corner in the 47th and the 50th minutes. However, the German defence line stood tall and saved India’s strikes on their goal. The Indian team fought hard until the last minute, but the hosts ensured that they didn’t concede a goal and won the match 5-0.
The Indian men’s hockey team, ranked No.4 in the world, is ready to face world No.6 Germany in the first of the four-match tour of Europe beginning on Sunday, said an upbeat captain PR Sreejesh.
“The entire team is very excited and eager to get on with the first match. It’s been more than a year since we played a competitive match, and we are prepared for the challenge,” said Sreejesh, also the team’s goalkeeper.
“It’s been about five days since we arrived in Krefeld and the weather too has not been too cold. It was about 16-18 degrees when we practiced yesterday [Friday], and we are quite comfortable playing in this weather,” he said.
Sreejesh pointed out that the team was getting to play a competitive match after one year due to Covid-19.
India last played in the FIH Hockey Pro League held in January and February last year where the team took on the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia on home ground in Bhubaneswar.
“Not playing competitive matches in over a year has been very difficult, mostly mentally than physically. But the coaching staff ensured the sessions during the national camp were planned in such a way that it would excite us players and they tried to create an environment of competition in the group. Though we played a lot of matches internally over the past few months in SAI [Sports Authority of India], the next few weeks in Europe will show exactly where we are at in terms of performance,” Sreejesh said.
The captain emphasised that this tour would help the team set the parameters for preparation for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“These matches against Germany and Great Britain are super important for our preparations. It is an opportunity to test ourselves tactically, physically and mentally. We are very lucky to be able to play against quality teams, despite the ongoing pandemic. This outing will help us set the parameter and enable us to plan our months leading up to the Olympics,” he said.
In the context of playing Germany, Sreejesh said: “We have watched this team closely, analyzed their game and replicated how we must play against them during the past few weeks in camp. They play man-to-man and our style of play will be slightly tweaked in order to succeed against them. The whole idea is to implement what we have been doing in camp these past few months and the focus will be on ourselves.”
Sreejesh also spoke about the supposed challenges of playing in a bio-bubble.
“There are no challenges in this regard. We are very used to being in a bio-bubble and also understand very well that the pandemic is still not over, and that we need to be responsible. We have received very strict SOP for this tour, and we are following it to the T,” he said.
A year after it last played an international match, the Indian men’s hockey team will travel to Europe for a 17-day tour to play two matches each against Germany and Britain.
The 22-member squad is scheduled to leave for Krefeld, Germany, from Bengaluru on February 21.
India will play host Germany in Krefeld on February 28 and March 2. They will then travel to Antwerp, Belgium where they are scheduled to play Britain on March 6 and March 8.
The Indian men’s team last participated in an international competition in February, 2020 when they took on Australia during the FIH Hockey Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar. As a result of good performances, the team had climbed to fourth in the FIH world rankings, India’s highest ranking till date.
Over the past few months, Hockey India has been studying the Covid-19 situation to work out a suitable training and competition schedule for the team as part of Olympic preparations.
The Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed from July 2020 to July 2021.
The team had, over the past year, mostly trained in a bio-secure environment in SAI, Bengaluru with pandemic disrupting travel and competition abroad.
Chief coach Graham Reid said, “We are very grateful for the opportunity to go to Europe, and we are looking forward to having our first competitive matches in just over 12 months. Playing against powerhouse teams like Germany and Britain will provide us with great competition and help immensely in our preparation for FIH Hockey Pro League and Olympic Games. Playing any top-10 ranked team is always a great experience for the team.”
India junior women’s hockey team defender Gagandeep Kaur is aiming to make the cut for the senior national team before she finishes her stint with juniors this year.
She is currently gearing up for the women’s Asia Cup which is scheduled to held from April 11 to 17 in Gifu, Japan.
“I have been giving my 100 per cent in the training and trying to improve day-by-day. I believe the Chile tour helped us assess the areas which we need to focus on before the Junior Women’s Asia Cup. I feel I am in a good shape both mentally and physically, and I am confident of doing well in the upcoming assignments. I want to make the most out of the opportunities and hopefully, get a call-up for the Senior Group as soon as I finish my stint with the Junior team,” said Gagandeep.
Gagandeep’s grandfather Jagir Singh, who served in the Indian army, was an international kabaddi player in the late 1970’s. The young defender not only comes from a sports background but also from a place where India captain Rani Rampal hails from. Born in Shahabad Markanda, a small rural subdivision in Kurukshetra district in Haryana, also touted as the “nursery of women’s hockey” in India, Gagandeep just like other girls in the town also took to hockey at a young age.
“My grandfather had always wished that someone else from the family should also take up sports just like him. But my father chose to move to the United Kingdom for livelihood, while my uncle did try his luck in athletics but couldn’t achieve much. So, all his hopes came down to me. I started playing hockey in school and then joined the hockey academy in Shahabad,” stated Gagandeep.
“Within a couple of years, I started playing nationals and started earning recognition in the town. My biggest inspiration has been Rani di. Having watched her from close quarters, it gives confidence to a player like me. It makes us believe that we can also do something. So, my ultimate goal has always been to don the India jersey with my name,” added the young defender who was part of Indian Junior Women’s recent success in Chile where they were unbeaten.
The 21-year-old defender has been a part of a few glorious moments for the Junior Women’s team, which includes the bronze medal-winning Junior Asia Cup 2016 campaign and two gold medal-winning tournaments in 2019, which were Cantor Fitzgerald U21 International 4-Nations tournament in Ireland and 3 Nation tournament in Australia, respectively.
“Gaining the right exposure with the Junior team has been critical for my growth. The most memorable tournament for me thus far has been the U21 International 4-Nations tournament in Ireland because I scored a match-winning goal in the Final. That goal I’ll never forget in my life. You know, it’s a different feeling to contribute to the team’s victory, that too in the final match against the hosts,” recalled the youngster, who led the team to 1-0 victory against Ireland in the 4-Nations tournament.
Hockey India has named the 25-member core probable group for the senior women’s national coaching camp as part of the team’s preparations for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
After a two-week break following their Argentina Tour, the core group will assemble at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Bengaluru on Sunday and will undergo mandatory quarantine.
The 25-member probable list includes goalkeepers Savita, Rajani Etimarpu and Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defenders selected for the camp include Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Salima Tete, Manpreet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur and Nisha.
Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha, Lilima Minz, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam and Namita Toppo are the midfielders called-up for the camp while forwards Rani, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Jyoti, Sharmila Devi, Udita, Rashmita Minz will also report.
In January, the group had set out on their first tour in over 12 months and despite not registering a win on the tour, chief coach Sjoerd Marjine was happy with the effort put in by his team against the World No.2 side.
“Considering this was our first tour after a year-long break due to the pandemic, I am quite pleased with the way the team performed. We improved match-by-match and this is a positive step in our preparations for the Olympic Games. Basis this performance, we will be planning the next steps that needs improvement and will be focusing on those areas during this camp,” Marijne said.
“While we are in quarantine, we will make use of this time to analyse in detail every single match we played in Argentina. Each player will be tasked with an assignment to present to the team the areas they need to improve upon. What I am particularly happy about with this team is that they are vocal about the changes they want to make in their performance. They accept criticism and are able to move on with determination to improve,” he added.
