Concerns about Indian men's hockey team's post-Tokyo show: Real or unfounded?

Hockey India (HI) that labelled India's performance since the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal as "unacceptable". Socks needed to be pulled up, even if the reaction after a one-off defeat appeared surprising. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra, who also heads the International Hockey Federation (FIH), had written that letter to HI -- citing performances in the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) in Dhaka and the Pro League tour of South Africa. India finished as the bronze medallists in Dhaka. The team won three of its four matches in South Africa, beating the hosts and France comprehensively, but the 2-5 defeat in the second match against France fueled these words: "I will not accept Team India to be mishandled and mismanaged, such incompetence will have to make way," Batra wrote in the letter.

(India won the first game against Spain 5-4, but lost the second 3-5 - Photo: Hockey India)You don't use 'mishandled' and 'mismanaged' in a conversation without knowing that something happened beyond the field of play. But everyone is tight-lipped about it as of now. Thus, it's hard to stomach such a stern reaction to a solitary defeat, especially against the ever-improving French team, which had also defeated India twice at the Junior World Cup last December. But the Indian senior team's performance in the ACT was definitely below par. Nevertheless, players and coaches being called to Delhi by Batra for talks and then the IOA president flying out to Bhubaneswar, playing 'team-building' games, perhaps painted more-than-what-meets-the-eye scenes.

(Narinder Batra interacting with players during his visit to Bhubaneswar - Photo courtesy: Narinder Batra)Over the last weekend, India played the first game against Spain