Back in form: India's clinical domination of China

Just when doubts were surfacing and words like "out of form" were being used for certain players and passages of play at the Asia Cup in Rajgir, the Indian men's hockey team constructed a dizzying world of flair, style, and finesse. They demolished China 7-0 to advance to the final, a seminal piece of work spread over four quarters and the better part of sixty minutes. Their dominance was such that China, a team that had made India struggle for a 3-2 victory in the group stages, hardly saw the ball or the inside of India’s striking circle.

Many would point to China’s world ranking of 22 against India's seven, and the fact that India are Olympic bronze and Asian Games gold medallists. Yet, in a scenario where the top five teams were running each other close, this was a significant victory. It was a win where the team shed its doubts and a good amount of rustiness, playing with a panache not seen in recent months.

China was surprised—not just by the ferocity of the attacks, but by India’s control. India had China in a stranglehold. Gone was the one-dimensional play that India usually got stuck in. With fans cheering their every move, India played with velvet feet; the ball fizzing around, enjoying itself, as Indian sticks turned and swirled, the touches giving the game a surreal feeling.

If China believed India would turn up and play the usual game—struggling at the back, misfiring in the middle, and missing chances upfront—their coaches need to take the blame for that. Craig Fulton, on the other hand, reshuffled the deck and came out with a whole new deal. Unlike the game against Malaysia, Abhishek was allowed to move into the striking circle, and Shilanand Lakra played a supporting role from the middle and top of the circle. The midfield opened outwards and not so much through the middle. The back line moved up from the flanks, held, and rotated, avoiding mis-passes that could have turned into counterattacks. What China prepared for didn’t happen. Neither did their bench have any ideas that could have stopped the free-fall, cutting off the lines that fed the Indian forwards constantly. Modern hockey may be about player intelligence and on-field flexibility, but it is also heavily dependent on what the bench dictates. China’s biggest failure was a lack of ideas from their coaching minds.

Hockey Asia Cup: India vs China Highlights

India used the aerial effectively but sparingly. The first goal came off a Harmanpreet aerial, picked up by Jarmanpreet on the edge of the circle. The cross was low and hard to Shilanand Lakra, who pushed it powerfully into the goal. Less than two minutes on the board, India led 1-0 with a goal from a player who had not only found his feet but was playing with an attractive blend of confidence and guile. If he wasn't getting into scoring positions, his runs and ball-holding created chances for others. It led to India’s first penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh’s flick was stopped by Qijun Chen on the line. The rebound was tapped in by Dilpreet.

India’s attacks continued, but they were clinical. Space was created. Some excellent off-the-ball running in and around the midfield made China chase shadows, giving Indians the full scope of unfolding their bag of tricks. Abhishek was playing with freedom. Unlike in other matches, he wasn’t wasteful. There was no showboating, no twisting and turning to try and create a reverse shot that would either go past the post or over the top. From the right flank, after switching positions, Abhishek weaved past two Chinese defenders, controlled the ball, and passed it into the middle of the striking circle, where Raj Kumar Pal’s reverse zipped past the post. The high press was giving India lots of room to build. At the back, there was a sense of control. Harmanpreet policed the area just before the centreline, picking players for aerials and slap shots. In the first quarter, as China searched for answers, India led 2-0.

Three minutes into the second quarter, India earned its second penalty corner. Harmanpreet's flick rebounded off the goalkeeper, picked up by Vivek, whose push again deflected to the side. From nowhere, Mandeep dragged the ball before it went over the line and into the goal. Leading 3-0, India had also blocked most of the passages in the midfield by packing in players who picked up China’s clearances to pressure them repeatedly.

In a match heavy with goals, there are moments that stand out for athleticism and masterful skill. A few minutes after India had scored their third, Hardik sprinted into the Chinese striking circle, the ball bouncing in front. With amazing control, on the run, he hit a thunderous shot which the Chinese goalkeeper saved, taking the rocket of a shot on his pads. Hardik has been at the top of his game, and after the 4-1 win over Malaysia, he had said, “We need to play the lower-ranked teams the way the Europeans do—by completely dominating them.”

At the end of the second quarter, China had hardly entered Indian territory. Both Pathak and Karkera were having a quiet evening.

In the group stages, India had copped criticism for their style of play, which not only seemed lethargic but also unable to come together in a seamless fashion. The build-ups had been terrible, defensive strategy unreliable, and the forwards anaemic. Almost every part of the team had been underperforming. In certain passages, they did seem like the Olympic bronze medallists, but largely they were cratering. The spark provided by the 4-1 win over Malaysia, coming after conceding an early goal, got the engines moving. The game against Malaysia was also a bit of a trauma response. Jarmanpreet, who is also finding his feet, said playing with discipline was important, especially in a game before the final. “Putting that structure together and to see it work is good for the team going into the final against Korea,” he said.

In the middle of the third quarter, China did find some space after pushing in from the left flank. India’s goals kept coming even though the pace had dropped off a bit. Vivek Sagar and Lakra were in the build-up, with Dilpreet edging the ball towards the Chinese goal. Raj Kumar Pal, standing right next to the post, whacked it in for India to lead 4-0 as the game slowly went out of China’s reach.

The fifth goal was typical Sukhjeet, squeezing into the middle of the circle before Dilpreet sent the ball back from the line. Falling in trying to reach it, Sukhjeet’s slap shot beat the goalkeeper as the scoreboard showed 5-0. The last two goals in the 46th and 50th minutes were scored by Abhishek, just reward for all the restraint and focus on his skills rather than wasteful flamboyance.

The final against reigning Champions Korea will be different, especially if you understand their coaching regimen. It’s a team that adapts to situations. Their comeback win against Malaysia from being 1-3 down to winning 4-3 is a testament to that.

Hockey Asia Cup: Inside Rajgir's Sports Complex

For India, their increased level of play, dominance, and control of the ball are all silver linings. There is a degree of reassurance after the wins against Malaysia and China. At least, the team knows you can’t buy yourself out of trouble even though you may be higher ranked or Olympic medallists.

There is a sense of truth to what Jarmanpreet said after the China game: “The final has a certain and different rhythm. So, we will prepare for that.” If Sunday evening against Korea is not tricky, that in itself will be surprising.