Last Updated: January 22, 2023, 15:30 IST
Indian hcokey star Rupinder Pal Singh (Instagram)
Rupinder Pal Singh stated penalty-corner defence has improved manifold lately and that was why drag-flickers everywhere in the world have been discovering it troublesome to attain
Former India drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh feels that worldwide groups will discover it more and more troublesome to attain from penalty corners as the usage of know-how within the recreation — similar to video evaluation by opponents — has made the exponents of the craft troublesome to beat the defenders.
Rupinder, who was part of the Tokyo Olympics bronze-winning group however retired quickly after, stated penalty-corner defence has improved manifold lately and that was why drag-flickers everywhere in the world have been discovering it troublesome to attain.
“Defending penalty corners has turn into an artwork lately. Every group now has video evaluation to review how the opponents take their PCs. They will analyse how the drag glints of the opposition group flick and the way they use variations, and accordingly prepare to forestall targets,” Rupinder told PTI on phone from his home in Punjab.
“It is the same in the case of India. We are also very good at defending penalty corners as we saw against England (in this World Cup). Our first rushers, Amit Rohidas and Manpreet Singh, are very quick to rush out and close the angle,” stated Rupinder who fashioned a potent pair of drag glints within the Tokyo Olympics, together with present India captain Harmanpreet Singh.
India have scored three targets from penalty corners out of the 16 they earned within the ongoing World Cup, which is lower than one-fifth of the entire targets. Overall, 43 targets have been scored from PCs on this World Cup out of a complete of 130 targets scored from 24 matches on the finish of the pool levels.
“It’s a World Cup, not any worldwide event or bilateral Test. Every group will attempt to rating essentially the most from PCs and, on the similar time, they are going to attempt to defend the PCs the perfect they’ll,” the 32-year-old said.
Rupinder said that apart from the video analysis of opposition teams, better quality equipment, such as knee and mouth guard, gloves and head guard have made rushers fear the drag flick less than in the past, and so they can defend better now.
“So, we cannot say the effectiveness of drag flickers has gone down in hockey because the decrease in conversion rate is due to better defending of PCs than before. You can’t help it and it is the way it is.
“But it is not that drag-flickers are not going to score goals. They will score. It is about timing, if there is coordination between the injector, stopper (of the ball) and drag flicker, then goals will be scored.”
Harmanpreet, one essentially the most dreaded drag-flickers on this planet, has had a quiet event up to now, having scored only one purpose from PCs — in opposition to Wales in India’s ultimate pool match on Thursday.
But Rupinder suggested the Indian drag-flickers to only keep calm and optimistic, saying that targets ought to come from their sticks.
“It occurs in high-pressure conditions, they need to stay calm and optimistic. I feel they haven’t carried out something mistaken and they need to not have adverse ideas.”
Harmanpreet was in great form during the Tokyo Olympics, scoring six goals, including one during the bronze-medal match against Germany. Rupinder had also scored one from his drag flick in that match.
“In the Tokyo Olympics, we had done well in converting and defending PCs. So, I hope this team will also do well in the coming matches of this World Cup.”
According to FIH data, India transformed 10 PCs out of a complete of 31 they earned within the Tokyo Olympics whereas additionally they conceded 10 targets from the 47 PCs they defended.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated news company feed)
