India outwit Japan 8-0 but low rate of penalty corner conversion still a concern

Sundeep Misra


India's Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (L) and Japan's Masaki Ohashi (C) compete for the ball during the men's hockey pool B match between India and Japan at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 24, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / SONNY TUMBELAKA

It was a prediction that went completely wrong. In fact, awry would be the word. We may just say the Indian coach Harendra Singh’s crystal-gazing was static. But he wasn’t complaining. Before the Indian team left for Jakarta for the Asian Games 2018, Harendra had predicted Japan as the ‘surprise’ team, the ‘X-factor’. However, India whacked Japan 8-0 and snuffed out whatever challenge they were forecast to bring to the Asian Games. By the end of the 1st quarter, India led 2-0. Japan, surprised by India’s pace, broke ranks, displaying brittle temperament and a lack of patience allowing the Indians to completely pulverize them. The score line could easily have crossed double figures and that upset Harendra the most, probably more than just getting one conversion out of 8 penalty corners (PCs) in the match.