Former captain Viren Rasquinha warns Indian men's hockey team about penalty corner issues ahead of Paris Olympics 2024

Former Indian men’s hockey team skipper Viren Rasquinha feels that the Indian team should avoid conceding unnecessary penalty corners at the Paris Olympics 2024. He believes that it will help India secure a podium finish.

Speaking at a panel discussion organized by the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai on Tuesday, July 2, Rasquinha shared his insights on the Indian team’s strategy for the upcoming Games.

“In the Australia series, as well as the last few FIH Pro League matches, they’ve just been conceding far too many penalty corners,” said Viren Rasquinha.

This issue has been a significant concern for the Indian men's hockey team, which finished seventh in the FIH Pro League 2023-24 with only five wins out of 16 games. Improving their defensive discipline will be crucial for the team to replicate their success from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. They secured a bronze medal by defeating Germany 5-4, ending a 41-year medal drought in hockey at the Olympics.

Rasquinha, who also serves as the CEO of Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), highlighted the importance of teamwork and players adopting multiple roles on the field.

“The defense doesn’t start with the four defenders. Once you lose possession of the ball, every single player, starting with the forward, becomes the first line of defense. If you defend as a team and attack as a team, everyone has a role to play. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 30 seconds off on the pitch, you’ve got to make it count…,” Rasquinha added.

“You cannot win tournaments without a solid defense and a sensational keeper. A lot of, I would say, the burden on the shoulders of Sreejesh and the defense set by Harmanpreet to keep it really tight," he continued.

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“It’s going to be a very tough quarter-final match” - Viren Rasquinha on India’s hopes for a podium finish

The Indian men’s hockey team is drawn in Pool B with Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. Viren Rasquinha noted the tough competition ahead, especially in the quarter-finals, where they could face strong teams from Pool A, including the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France, and South Africa.

“One of these teams is going to meet in the quarterfinals. Irrespective of what position you are (in), it’s going to be a very, very tough quarter-final match…,” Rasquinha continued.

Hockey India recently announced the 16-member squad for the Paris Olympics 2024, with Harmanpreet Singh leading the charge as skipper. The squad includes goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and midfielder Manpreet Singh, both set to make their fourth Olympic appearance.

Additionally, five players will make their Olympic debut: Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Raj Kumar Pal, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh.

“I’m happy that the coach (Craig Fulton) has got the team of his choice. Especially in hockey, where, unlike cricket, there are fewer stats to back you up, it’s very important for the coach to get a team of his choice,” Viren Rasquinha added.