Akash Chikte, 25, hardly expected to get a look in during Wednesday's Hockey World League Finals quarter-final against World No. 3 Belguim. That's because the younger goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, 22, wasn't doing a bad job under the bar. But around 10 minutes from the end, with the score reading 3-2 in India's favour, coach Sjoerd Marijne played a masterstroke. He put Chikte in with the intention that firstly, the comparatively more experienced 'keeper would ensure the scoresheet remained unchanged, and India went through, or, if the game went into the shootout, Chikte was the better man in goal.

Indian players celebrate their win over Belgium with a grounded Akash Chikte in Bhubaneswar. PIC/PTI