Sir — Nothing succeeds like success, and the Gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games after 16 years should propel Indian men’s hockey to a fast-forward mode.
The match-duration in hockey has been shortened, and the new penalty shoot-out rule allows the players to dribble from the 23-yard line into the ‘D’ area. India seems to have adapted well to both these changes. The Hockey India league did help our players. A solid mix of attack and defence, the magical moment when we scored the equaliser to stop the marauding Pakistani players and the valiant efforts of goal-keeper PR Sreejesh and others — all contributed to India’s triumph.
With the win, comes the added responsibility of living up to expectations. Coach Terry Walsh should concentrate on building the team without thinking too much on medal hopes at the forthcoming Rio Olympics. A solid, long-term planning, incorporating an eye for young talent to replace the old stalwarts, state-of-the art academies to compete with the best and inspiring domestic tournaments on astro turf — all of these should provide a perfect platform for Indian hockey to revive its glorious past.