FIH Jr Hockey World Cup: India’s real test starts here

CHENNAI: After a week of three straight wins, a clean sheet, and 29 goals, the real show begins now for India at the Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup. On Friday night at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, the hosts face their sternest test yet — a plucky and disciplined Belgian side in the quarterfinals. Before the tournament began, India’s chief coach, PR Sreejesh, had said that the competition truly starts in the knockouts. He wasn’t exaggerating. The quarters are where India either take a decisive step toward the trophy, or their title dreams end abruptly. In the torrential rains of Chennai and Madurai, the Rohit Yadav-led side poured in goals at will, but those came against weaker opponents. Only in their final league match against Switzerland did the cracks, so far concealed, become hard to miss. Across their three games, India committed elementary errors that they cannot afford against a sharp Belgian attack.A couple of penalty corners against the Swiss were gifted through sloppy interceptions or five-metre violations. The backline, barely tested in the first two outings, suddenly looked vulnerable.Rohit, Amir Ali, and Talem Priyobarta will now have their hands full, along with goalkeepers Prince Deep Singh and Bikramjit Singh, who did well to preserve a clean sheet in the previous match.Up front, Dilraj Singh, India’s top scorer with six goals, Arshdeep Singh and Manmeet Singh have been electric. But against Belgium, they will need quicker turnarounds, sharper passing, and far more discipline inside the circle. Sreejesh didn’t sugarcoat his concerns after the Swiss game, “I think that match was a good wake up call for us. In the quarterfinals, we must be on our toes.”Belgium may have finished second in Pool D behind Spain, but they’ve scored 22 goals. Recent history favours India. The hosts beat Belgium 2-1 in the title contest, when they last won the trophy in 2016 in Lucknow. In 2021, in Bhubaneswar, they got past the Red Lions 1-0 in the last-8 stage.