The lost cousin

The passion for cricket is evident in the streets

It is not participation but the feelings that results in attachment towards a sport. Not all people transfixed in front of tea-stalls, watching cricket, play the game themselves. Yet, they portray sublime and undiluted passion. Such is the degree of passion that taste buds can accept cold tea, work and time can wait forever! Children pleading their parents ‘one more over and we are off to study’ is a common sight. Incidentally, women have developed the interest in the game. I would not be surprised to learn if people start calling cricket as the national sport of India. Such has been the proliferation of game in people minds that they breathe cricket.

For those wondering is this article is all about cricket, let me share a good news. This article is about a long lost cousin of the game: Hockey.

I would never forget the summer of 2006, when I accidentally surfed to a sports channel telecasting Premier Hockey League. I vividly remember how Dileep Tirkey formed the heart of defense and the team looked vulnerable. Teams from Manipur, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow and Orissa participated in the challenger competition, where the top two were promoted to championship league.

Back then, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Hyderabad formed the championship league. I was impressed with Orissa Steelers performance. You suddenly spotted a Jose Mourinho in form of AK Bansal. Orissa Steelers were promoted in the subsequent year and eventually clinched the title. Intense the pep talks such as “calm”, “play your game”, “where is the passion?” and many phrases could be heard through mike camera. Commercialization of hockey seemed to be working.

Do we bleed for the national sport?

Gachibowli, Sector 42, Mahindra and other stadiums lit with joy as energy redefined them. Climax turnarounds, penalty misses, disputes over referee decision spiced the game. Look into the face of a supporter and you would know where the team is going. Many emerging jewels were unearthed from the league. The iron- walled Dileep Tirkey, magical- dragflick Sohail Abbas, clever-man Jamie Dwyer, mastermind AK Bansal and many such other examples set the show.

An astonishing fact comes from the observation that we have 36 hockey centers in the nation. Yet, the game is unable to galvanize passion. All it garners instead is ‘pretence of sympathy’. The premature death of PHL is indeed mysterious. Corporate such as SAIL and Tata have provided infrastructure to support the game. Yet, IHF continues to oversee it. Certain emotions are implied, our anger for loss should be derived as love for the game. We may not force everyone to play the game. But we can generate interest to support the ones playing it. Talent has never been an issue as the hubs of hockey(for example Chandigarh, Bangalore, Orissa, etc) continue to generate performers. All they need is our support. Hope the lost link between passion of ours and support for players is bridged. IHF, are you listening?