Down in the dumps......

When I asked my cousin “which is our national sport”, the answer was pretty obvious to my conscience “Cricket” ……..
Hockey, once an Indian pride is now India’s ignominy. It has now become the national film or rather national slogan which is quiet famous “chak de india”.
The game is successful stuff in bollywood films but has little relevance in reality. There was once a time when Indian hockey was at its zenith with no one dare to compete .When Dhyanchand and his men used to raise their sticks all the Indians used to roar with them. They dominated the whole of globe ( chak de was not released then ). At that time hockey was considered as game more of skills of a stick and short passes. The rules were very much suited to the indigenous. The west realized that the 8th time Olympic gold medalist is invincible so rather changing their own game they changed the rules. The ban on raising the stick above waist height, playing on astro turfs dismantled the skills and focused more on fitness, stamina and long passes. Indian hockey entered into period of eclipse and today it is in the darkness.
These factors were anodized by the office bearers of the IHF. The chairperson as-a-(w)hole :) has done a tremendous job in deprecating the standards of Indian hockey. Under his regime 13 coaches were sacked or resigned. It is simplistic to blame one person for the debacle after 80 years.
After this debacle the souls of our heroes will mourn……..
O’mighty Indian hockey,
Dost thou lie so low.
All thy conquest, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure…..fare thee well.