India clinched the three-match series against New Zealand on Saturday at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bengaluru with a dominant 3-1 victory.
In both matches, the fifth-ranked men in blue outclassed their lower-ranked (10) opponents. The victories will boost the confidence of PR Sreejesh and company ahead of the all-important Asian Games beginning next month.
Despite clinching the series, coach Harendra Singh said the team needs to improve in a few areas to strengthen their gold-medal winning chances in next month’s quadrennial event.
The most important of them is the team’s positioning in the attacking circle. According to Harendra, the team made 18 circle penetrations in the first half of Saturday’s match – but managed only two goals.
“I expect our team to convert at least 35-40% of circle penetrations to shots on goal. So, we need to work on that area. We need to work on our positioning. We aren’t being patient, we are rushing towards the ball,” he said.
India managed to convert only one of their eight penalty corners on Saturday. About this, he said, “We are trying different positions. Because it’s not just about winning here. We are working out different strategies for other opponents in the Asian Games. I need 30% conversion rate of penalty corners.”
Experiment worked
India’s game on Saturday, as compared to the one on Thursday, was tangibly different. The men in blue, in the second match, went for an all-out attack. The coach admitted the same after the game.
“We were just trying how it will work. We have to try and play different strategies and see what works,” he said. “So, whenever we require these strategies, we can adopt them. The boys did really well in this match. Their work rate this match was superb. To play ‘full-press’ you need a high energy level, strength and speed.”
But Harendra also cautioned the team, when they adopt this strategy, that they must be aware of the overhead passes. One such pass by New Zealand resulted in a goal – their only one of the match.
“Whenever we are pressing hard, the opponents take advantage through overhead ball – and they scored in the last match and today as well. So, that’s something we should keep in mind: when we are attacking, we can’t blindly attack and let the team score with an overhead pass.”
About Sardar Singh, who played an attacking role in the team’s win, the coach said, “We are trying different situations. By chance if someone’s not able to play the attacking role, then we will have another person taking his role. So, in the three matches that we are playing before the Asian Games, we want to try out these options.”
