Striker Lalit Upadhay is relishing the chance of playing Australia and learning from the experience
Indian striker Lalit Upadhyay (Photo: Youtube screen shot)
New Delhi: Following India’s ninth-place finish at the 2014 World Cup, coach Terry Walsh had stressed on “playing top nations regularly” as one of the solutions to take Indian hockey forward. India need to play such 35-40 games per year we are serious about being successful. These are one of the building blocks before one can even get to stages where you think of winning medals. It is like a foundation,” was Walsh’s view.
The upcoming four-match away series against world champions Australia is one of the starting points in Walsh’s plans, and for the that he hasn’t hesitated in fielding a few youngsters. “During the World Cup, we sometimes saw frightened behaviour from the players. Experience and playing a lot of games against big teams is the only way out. Being there in tough situations and the exposure to those things is extremely significant.”
Much like Walsh, the youngsters too are looking ahead to the experience. For 22-year old striker Lalit Upadhyay — who made his international debut at the World Cup — the Australia series will be a baptism by fire. “When I played the World Cup, there was a nervous energy in me. The experience of playing big teams on a big stage wasn’t that easy. “But now I wish to take that experience ahead. This chance has come after a lot of hard work and playing Australia will definitely be a great experience. More than a win or loss, this series will teach us how and where we can get better,” said Upadhyay ahead of the team’s departure.
India have played Australia only thrice this year — a league game in the World Cup and twice at the Commonwealth Games (a league game and final), all of which they lost — and a bilateral series will augur well for the squad, who rarely get to play quality opposition on a regular basis.The 21-year old Akashdeep Singh, who shone in the CWG and the Asian Games with winning goals in the semi-finals of both the events, said: “All of us understand the importance of playing Australia. They have set the bar in world hockey, but we cannot go into the series thinking that we are going to lose. We will try our best to match them.
“We have a relatively young team, who would get better with time and experience.”Striker Mandeep Singh, who returns to the squad after an injury lay-off, believes the exchange will hold the players in good stead ahead of the Champions Trophy.
“One only gets better by playing the best and it definitely is a crucial series for us. We had a lot of Australian players in the Hockey India League, and since the Europeans and the Australians are no way behind in skills and tactics these days, it will be a tough test for us,” the Mithapur lad said. India will play four tests against Australia at Perth, besides a practice game against the A side.
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