Aussie star Jamie Dwyer believes nothing has changed in Indian hockey since the poor show at world cup
Aussie star Jamie Dwyer believes nothing has changed in Indian hockey since the poor show at world cup
A couple of days before the CWG 2010, while discussing India's prospects at the Games, four-time Olympian Dhanraj Pillay had told MiD DAY that he didn't think anything had changed in Indian hockey since the team's poor eighth-place finish at the FIH World Cup in March.
Yesterday, Australia's super striker and three-time World Player of the Year, Jamie Dwyer echoed the same sentiments.
"There have been a couple of new faces in the team, but apart from that, I don't think the Indian team has changed too much," Dwyer told MiD DAY after the Australians beat India 5-2 in a league match at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium.
Ironically, the scoreline by which the hosts lost to the visitors too was identical to the one during the World Cup. "But to be fair to India, they did create a lot of chances today and the scoreline should have read a bit better," said Dwyer.
But there's no room for stagnation in the game, felt the World and Olympic champion. "International hockey demands changes and improvements at regular intervals. That's how our coach Ric (Charlesworth) does it. India is a good hockey-playing nation and there's a lot of room for improvement," added Dwyer (31), who said this would be his last Commonwealth Games. "There are a lot of talented players in Australia," he reasoned.
India once again began nervously, and Australia took full advantage of this by scoring the opening goal in the second minute. Trent Mitton (6th minute) added to Desmond Abbot's opener. Dharam Vir's field goal gave the hosts some hope going into the breather. However, Eddie Ockenden (48th), Liam de Young (54th) and Glenn Turner (58th) rubbed salt into India's wounds. Sandeep Singh drag-flicked a consolation goal at the sound of the final hooter.
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