Why next Saturday's Sultan Azlan Shah event is critical for the Sardar Singh-led India team who have to tackle the Commonwealth Games and World Cup this year
Sardar Singh
In a season where you have the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games, Champions Trophy and the biggie, the World Cup, the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament (March 3 to 10) seems to shrink in importance. But come back to preparation, training, organisation, mental make-up, the measure of preparedness can only be gauged in tournaments like the Azlan. But for some reason, the Indian team is going with a mixed team, resting crucial players and giving three players - Sumit Kumar (Junior), Mandeep Mor and Shilanand Lakra - who make their maiden senior team debut.
Decent defence
What is slightly perplexing is that India have a decent defence with Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar and Dipsan Tirkey but there is a clear gap when it comes to penalty corners. Both Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh, two main PC convertors, are not making the trip. Varun does manage to convert, but when it comes to experience, he remains a distant third.
One can always argue that the Azlan Shah is a perfect pitch to groom youngsters so matches against World No. 1 Australia and Olympic champions Argentina will be great exposure.
But losses also have a tendency of hanging on like a dark, dank cloud. Australia are playing with their best squad and so are England, the reigning Azlan Shah champions. Mark Knowles, the Aussie captain has already announced that the CWG will be his last tournament and a win at the Azlan will give him the boost he needs to regain the CWG gold on the Gold Coast.
India have always been top draw at the Azlan Shah with 20 appearances winning five gold, two silver and seven bronze. In only six editions, they have come back without a medal. If the India coach Sjoerd Marijne has a few slots in his CWG team still vacant, it will be the performance at the Azlan Shah that would convince him about those players.
Confident skipper
In that sense, it's a test for Surender Kumar and Dipsan Tirkey. Most eyes would also be on the captain and one of the most influential Indian players of the last decade, Sardar Singh. There is speculation whether he can hold a place in the Indian team anymore. Sardar believes he can. But after being dropped for the Hockey World League Final and then the double leg four-nation tournament in New Zealand, it seemed the end of a chapter.
But he now leads the team at the Azlan. And a powerful performance in the midfield might just convince Marijne that the Sardar still has it in him. To his credit, Sardar has kept a low profile, avoiding questions and working quietly on his fitness. As for skill, he is still right up there. But new coaches come with their ideas and some players suddenly find they don't fit in. Marijne has maintained that he wants to rotate the players, knowing it's an important and hectic year. To his credit, younger players have got a look-in. Now, it's the combination that needs to be decided upon.
Every tournament is intrinsically slightly different from the rest. A CWG is important for momentum while an Asian Games gold makes the team reach Tokyo, two years before while the Champions Trophy settles ideas and fitness before the World Cup.
Big draw
There are no points or rankings at the Azlan. But as a tournament, it fits into every coach's manual for preparing a team looking at bigger conquests. India won the Azlan Shah for the first time in 1985 under Mohammed 'Magician' Shahid's captaincy. Interestingly, under Pargat Singh in 1991 and 1995, they won the tournament twice - once in Ipoh and then in '95 in Kuala Lumpur. Now, the Azlan Shah's permanent home is Ipoh. It was in 2008 that Sardar became the youngest Indian captain when he led the team at the Azlan Shah.
Now at 31, nothing would make him happier than once again leading from the front and hopefully make another final where as per the form book, either Australia or Argentina should be the opposition.
"I want to give my best," said Sardar. "It's a young squad with a few experienced hands and we will try and follow instructions and ensure that the team do well." In a highly competitive environment where sometimes tournaments don't survive because of a lack of sponsors or marketing acumen, huge credit to Malaysia and the Sultan for backing this annual tournament that keeps hockey competitive in the region and also provides intense competition to the invited teams. Most teams agree that the Azlan Shah is one of the best organised tournaments along with being a great host.
In seven days of high-octane hockey, some great matches will be played between India, Australia, Argentina, England, Ireland and Malaysia in what will be a six-nation tournament. The stakes are different for each team. Australian coach Colin Batch said: "I think we've got a good mixture, not only in the 18 we've picked, but in our squad as a whole. They are learning quickly and we want to be able to perform every time we go out on the pitch, so that's why Azlan Shah is important preparation for the Commonwealth Games."
