New Delhi: India is sending its second episode Hockey Teams for both men’s and women’s competitions this year Commonwealth Games (CWG) due to the short time change between the Birmingham event and the Hangzhou Asian Games, which is a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The development was confirmed by a top Hockey India official on the Saturday after the chairman of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and International Hockey Federation (FIH), Narinder Batraclaimed this in a widely circulated message.
“We have three teams – India senior, India A and junior team – and we will be sending our ‘A’ teams for the Commonwealth Games this year because we don’t want our core players to peak right before the Asian Games, which More important,” the Hockey India official told PTI.
“We will send reserve players who will not be part of the Asian Games squad because there is only a 32 day gap between the two games, and we do not want our hockey teams to reach the top of the Commonwealth Games.
“We want our core players to be fully fit for the Asian Games as it is an Olympic qualifier,” he said.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games Scheduled from July 28 to August 8, the Asian Games will be held from September 10 to 25 this year.
Last year, Hockey India had created a flurry over withdrawal of its teams from the CWG citing concerns related to COVID-19 and the short gap between the Birmingham Games and the Hangzhou Asiad, a decision which was later adopted. This was reversed after the intervention of Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
But keeping in mind the importance of the Asian Games, India has decided not to send its main teams for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. HI is confident that the country will do well irrespective of the line-up given that most of the core group has been able to perform well when required.
“We have enough bench strength, so sending a strong team is not an issue. But we will not risk our core team players as the Asian Games hold more importance for us. In fact, the 2022 CWG will be our ‘A’ team. Will give valuable international match performances,” the official said.
However, he indicated that first-choice goalkeepers from both senior teams could also be sent to the Birmingham Games to gain much-needed play-time ahead of the Asian Games.
“But yes, there is a possibility that we can send our main team goalkeepers to the Commonwealth Games because they can get some experience and playing time.”
The Indian men’s hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year – the first Olympic hockey medal since the last of the eight gold medals in Moscow in 1980.
The women’s team, on the other hand, missed out on the first Olympic medal after losing 3-4 to Great Britain in the bronze play-off.
In the CWG, India’s best ever performance is two silver medals in the 2010 and 2014 editions, with Australia claiming all six golds since the sport’s inclusion in the multi-sport event in 1998.
The development was confirmed by a top Hockey India official on the Saturday after the chairman of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and International Hockey Federation (FIH), Narinder Batraclaimed this in a widely circulated message.
“We have three teams – India senior, India A and junior team – and we will be sending our ‘A’ teams for the Commonwealth Games this year because we don’t want our core players to peak right before the Asian Games, which More important,” the Hockey India official told PTI.
“We will send reserve players who will not be part of the Asian Games squad because there is only a 32 day gap between the two games, and we do not want our hockey teams to reach the top of the Commonwealth Games.
“We want our core players to be fully fit for the Asian Games as it is an Olympic qualifier,” he said.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games Scheduled from July 28 to August 8, the Asian Games will be held from September 10 to 25 this year.
Last year, Hockey India had created a flurry over withdrawal of its teams from the CWG citing concerns related to COVID-19 and the short gap between the Birmingham Games and the Hangzhou Asiad, a decision which was later adopted. This was reversed after the intervention of Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
But keeping in mind the importance of the Asian Games, India has decided not to send its main teams for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. HI is confident that the country will do well irrespective of the line-up given that most of the core group has been able to perform well when required.
“We have enough bench strength, so sending a strong team is not an issue. But we will not risk our core team players as the Asian Games hold more importance for us. In fact, the 2022 CWG will be our ‘A’ team. Will give valuable international match performances,” the official said.
However, he indicated that first-choice goalkeepers from both senior teams could also be sent to the Birmingham Games to gain much-needed play-time ahead of the Asian Games.
“But yes, there is a possibility that we can send our main team goalkeepers to the Commonwealth Games because they can get some experience and playing time.”
The Indian men’s hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year – the first Olympic hockey medal since the last of the eight gold medals in Moscow in 1980.
The women’s team, on the other hand, missed out on the first Olympic medal after losing 3-4 to Great Britain in the bronze play-off.
In the CWG, India’s best ever performance is two silver medals in the 2010 and 2014 editions, with Australia claiming all six golds since the sport’s inclusion in the multi-sport event in 1998.
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