'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The India vs England match in the ongoing Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 was an enthralling contest that kept viewers on the edge of their seats the entire time. Both teams had many chances, but the strong and indefatigable defense of the two sides failed to relent.
While India will have to think a bit about avoiding some unforced errors inside the circle and giving away penalty corners, this match once again showed that they have great quality. India captain Harmanpreet Singh failed to live up to his reputation as a great drag-flicker but more than made up for it with his superb work in defense.
To see how all the players in the Indian unit performed on the day, let’s take a look at the player ratings of the team for today’s match.
Jarmanpreet Singh - 6/10
Normally one of the most productive players on the field, Jarmanpreet didn’t have the best of matches. He couldn’t get as involved in the contest and didn’t play the important role he does in creating attacking opportunities. A green card late in the day further affected his ratings.
Abhishek - 5/10
Abhishek is usually a very effective attacker and had opportunities today but couldn’t get the job done. He also made the odd error, hence not his best effort.
Surender Kumar - 6/10
Surender was once again part of a very good collective performance in the defense. However, his own personal contribution wasn’t a starring one.
Manpreet Singh - 7/10
The former captain was on song today, both in the midfield and defense. His running down the striker on the penalty corners was also superb.
Hardik Singh - 8/10
Another superlative effort from Hardik. Though he took some time in this game to get going, once he got on song, he was unstoppable. He made a stunning run into the circle in the third quarter by dodging two defenders but couldn’t convert it into a goal. He is the biggest driving factor in this team.
Mandeep Singh - 7/10
Mandeep didn’t score again but showed his brilliance as a forward once more. One cheeky back pass through his legs inside the circle was delightful. He was also working the ball well in and around the circle. However, he couldn’t break down the English defense.
Krishan B Pathak - 6/10
In what was a role-reversal from the last match, Krishan B Pathak was the less visible goalkeeper in this match for India. He didn’t make any mistakes but wasn’t faced with as many dangers as his senior colleague.
Harmanpreet Singh - 7/10
Harmanpreet’s inability to score again was more than offset by his great work both in defense and the midfield. Not only was the skipper brilliant with his skills, but he also showed the calmness that was crucial to avert disaster against waves of English attacks.
Lalit Kumar Upadhyay - 6/10
Not as involved in this game as against Spain, Lalit still managed to have some good moments. But he would need to be more creative in the coming matches.
Nilam Sanjeep Xess - 6/10
It was a mixed day for Nilam as he made a stunning save when an English attacker was all set to take a shot at goal with no one but the goalie in front of him. He dived desperately to push the ball away. However, he also did commit an error that gave away a PC.
PR Sreejesh - 8/10
Sreejesh was back to his best and showed once again what made him one of the best keepers in the modern history of Indian hockey. Not only did he make good saves, but his astute movements ensured that English attackers couldn’t take their shots clearly.
Nilakanta Sharma - 5/10
Nilakanta was very active against Spain but didn’t have the same impact on England. He did become more prominent as the game went on but his lack of assertiveness was evident in the first half.
Shamsher Singh - 6/10
Shamsher did create trouble for England, but only on few occasions. He would need to be more consistent.
Varun Kumar - 6/10
Like Surender, Varun wasn’t in the starring role but played a good supporting role in defense.
Akashdeep Singh - 6/10
Akashdeep had a mixed bag of a game as he failed to trap some crucial long passes. Otherwise, he performed well in the forward line. Surprisingly, he was also very good when falling back to help the defense.
Amit Rohidas - 7/10
Amit loses one point due to a last-minute mistake and a green card. He was again superb in defense and was, arguably, the most important defender for India in this contest. Yet, his error in missing the ball while clearing it from the ‘D’ in the final minute almost cost India the game.
Vivek Sagar Prasad - 6/10
Vivek was upstaged by Manpreet in the midfield and again, didn’t get enough opportunities to make a mark.
Sukhjeet Singh - 6/10
Playing more as a back-up attacker, Sukhjeet too didn’t get enough opportunities to impact the game. When he did, he didn’t do badly.
