India to field second-string hockey teams for Birmingham Commonwealth Games

India is set to field second-string hockey teams for both men’s and women’s competitions at Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. The decision of sending a second-string team was taken due to the short turnaround time between the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games. The hockey tournament at Asian Games is also a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The news was confirmed by a top official at Hockey India on Saturday. The decision was made by Narinder Batra who is the President of the Indian Olympic Association and the International Hockey Federation.

While speaking to PTI, the Hockey India official said,

“We have three teams — India senior, India A and Junior team — and we would be sending our ‘A’ teams for the Commonwealth Games this year because we don’t want our main players to hit the peak just before the Asian Games, which is more important. We will send those reserve players who will not be a part of the Asian Games squad because there is only a 32-day gap in between the two games and we don’t want our hockey teams to peak at the Commonwealth Games. We want our main players to be fully fit for the Asian Games because it is an Olympic qualifier”

In 2021, the decision to withdraw the Indian Hockey team was announced citing the COVID 19 concerns and the short gap between CWG and Asian Games. The decision was later reversed after the intervention from Sports minister Anurag Thakur.

Indian Hockey Has Enough Bench Strength

The Hockey Indian is confident of sending a strong team and believes India has enough bench strength. Sending India A to Commonwealth Games will also give good international exposure to ‘A’ team players. However, there is a good chance that goalkeepers from senior sides will be sent to the Commonwealth Games in order to give them game time ahead of the Asian Games.

The Indian men’s hockey team clinched the historic bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020. This was an important medal for the team and country as it was the first hockey medal since 1980.

On the other side, the women’s side missed the first Olympic medal by a narrow margin against Great Britain.

At the Commonwealth Games, India has bagged two silver medals. While Australia has clinched gold medals at every CWG game since hockey’s inclusion in 1998.

The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games is scheduled from 28th July to 8th August. This will be an important assignment for all athletes before Asian Games and Olympics 2024.

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