The Hockey Champions Trophy is here and India, this time, led by stand-in captain and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh, will be in action once again hoping to win the tournament for the first time.
India’s past performances in the tournament have been disappointing and except for a third place finish in the 1982 edition, India doesn’t have much to boast about in terms of their performance in the tournament that was first staged in Lahore, Pakistan 1978. Keeping in mind the Rio Olympics, regular skipper Sardar Singh has been rested and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh has been given the reigns of the team.
So, before India starts its campaign against Olympic champions Germany in the opening match of the tournament on June 10, we take a look at the best matches that India have played in Champions Trophy over the history of the tournament.
#6. India 1 – Belgium 0, 2012
India started the tournament as wildcards and with a win over Belgium in this crucial tie of the 2012 Champions Trophy secured a semi-final berth. India scored through Nithin Thimmaiah after he received a perfect feed from skipper Sardar Singh.
Belgium slowly gained momentum and threatened to equalise a number of times when they got six penalty corners, but much to their dismay failed to capitalise on any of the opportunity and could not convert any of the penalty corners.
#5. India 3 – Great Britain 1, 2012
A new look Indian team took on a fairly inexperienced Great Britain team in Melbourne for their first match of the tournament, and after their disastrous performance in the London Olympics, not many gave them a chance.
And things looked to be going according to the script till the 22nd minute when Danish Mujtaba scored an equaliser to put India back in the match. This was probably the fillip his teammates were looking for as in the next 48 minutes, the Indians were all over the British and the scorecard read 3-1 when the final hooter was sounded. Apart from Mujtaba, Yuvraj Walmiki (38th) before Gurwinder Singh Chandi scored in a set-piece penalty corner (66th minute).
#4. India 3 – Germany 1, 2004
On 7 December 2004, India overcame a strong German side with the help of goals from Sundeep Michael, Arjun Halappa and Vivek Gupta. Although Jan-Marco Montag put the German team in the lead with a 20th-minute strike, India attacked well to overturn the deficit and add to more goals to it by the time the whistle ended the game.
Germany has been India’s chief tormentor in the tournament apart from Pakistan. Although India would go on to lose to Pakistan to finish fourth, this victory remains important as it was India’s second consecutive victory over the Germans in two editions of the tournament. They had defeated Germany 3-2 in 2003 too.
#3. India 3 – Netherlands 2, 2014
The match didn’t have the brightest of the starts as the first 30 minutes failed to produce a goal. But later the crowd would know that those 30 minutes were the lull before the storm as some terrific hockey from both the teams saw five goals follow in the next 40 minutes resulting in India trumping Netherlands 3-2 in front of a capacity 5000 crowd at the Kalinga Stadium.
After SV Sunil put India ahead three minutes into the third quarter, Mink van der Weerden equalised for the visitors in the 36th minute off a penalty corner. India restored their lead a minute into the fourth quarter through Man-of-the-Match Manpreet Singh in the 47th minute and then added another goal in the 49th through Rupinderpal Singh's drag-flick. This was the first win India had managed against the Netherlands in 18 years.
#2 India 5 – 5 Germany, 1985
In 1985 in Australia, India didn’t have the most memorable of tournaments, yet they, along with the Germans, produced one of the best matches of hockey ever.
India were 5-1 down with just 8 minutes on the clock. It was then that a skinny fullback by the name of Pargat Singh rocked the German boat. In no time, India was breathing down Germany’s neck and the score read 5-4.
And in the dying moments came a goal from the Indians that not only ensured that India drew level with the Germans but also etched their names in the annals of the game’s history for scripting one of the most unbelievable turnarounds.
#1 India 5 – 4 Pakistan, 1982
Among one of the most exciting contests between the arch-rivals, this match saw India snatch a victory out of the jaws of defeat. At half-time, no one gave India a chance as they trailed 3-0. But then things changed, and too soon for Pakistan to handle.
Rajinder Singh Senior helped India equalise with a hat-trick of penalty corners.The two teams found themselves locked at 4-4 just minutes before the hooter. But just when it looked India will manage a draw, Zafar Iqbal scored to pull off an improbable victory.
Pakistan avenged this defeat with a 7-1 humbling of India in the Asian Games held in November-December the same year, but that’s another story.
