Paris Olympics: This Indian hockey crew will not want Dr Kalra’s ‘sesame drugs’ forward of semi-final towards Germany | Paris Olympics 2024 Information

NEW DELHI: The Grambusch brothers, Mats and Tom, have been writing Germany’s comeback scripts for enjoyable on the World Cup final 12 months. It had a contented ending as nicely. The Germans lifted the trophy in a remaining that may solely be described as ‘insanity refusing to finish’. The penalty shootout went to sudden dying and required 14 makes an attempt to present the World Cup its winner and dethrone Belgium.
The purpose of reference is clear for these having their eyes on Paris. India are enjoying Germany within the semifinal of the Summer season Olympics.
A spot within the remaining, affirmation of a medal — the stakes are fairly excessive, even greater for India, who have not performed an Olympic hockey remaining for 44 years and haven’t gained successive hockey medals on the Video games for 52 years. And PR Sreejesh will hope that he finishes his profession with a medal within the greatest sport of his iconic profession, an Olympic remaining.
For every of the above to occur, India should beat Germany.
A bit a part of the narrative for the Germans can also be revenge. The injuries of that epic bronze-medal match on the Tokyo Olympics are contemporary at three years previous. The Germans sank into the turf after ending on the fallacious facet of 5-4 remaining rating, whereas the Indians celebrated a long-awaited return to the Video games’ podium after 41 years.

(PTI Picture)
The storyline of Tuesday’s semifinal has sufficient sub-plots to make any participant nervous. However this Indian crew has performed like one that does not carry butterflies requiring Dr. Rajendra Kalra’s psychological methods to settle.
Forty-nine years in the past, Dr Kalra, a doctor settled in Chandigarh, was named because the official physician of the Indian crew travelling to Kuala Lumpur for the 1975 World Cup.
Earlier than the ultimate towards Pakistan, a few gamers complained to him a couple of abdomen ailment. Studying the gamers’ minds and it coinciding with the enormity of the event, Dr Kalra performed a psychologist as a substitute of a doctor.
He requested the organisers for some jaggery and black sesame seeds. As soon as it was delivered to him, he melted the jaggery, added the sesame seeds to it and rolled the combination into tiny balls resembling drugs drugs.
Dr Kalra requested the jittery gamers to take that earlier than stepping onto the sphere.
It labored. India gained the World Cup. However not due to Dr Kalra’s pseudo drugs, however due to 11 assured gamers on the sphere.
Again to Paris, this Indian crew has come of age.

(PTI Picture)
If the win over Australia within the Olympics after 52 years was like claiming misplaced territory, coach Craig Fulton’s males turned its defence into fortresss within the quarterfinal. Enjoying with 10 males for over 40 minutes after Amit Rohidas was proven the pink card, India put adversity to disgrace by not simply holding Nice Britain to 1-1 in 60 minutes, but in addition by stamping its authority within the shootout. India scored all 4, Sreejesh saved two. A 4-2 (1-1) win took India to a second consecutive Olympic semifinal.
However that Rohidas pink card, for flaying his stick in anger throughout the face of England striker Will Calnan, got here again to hang-out the Tokyo bronze medallists.
The defender, most significantly India’s first rusher on penalty-corner defence, was handed a one-match suspension and can sit out of the semifinal on Tuesday.
If there may be one factor that may make India nervous earlier than operating into the Germans, it is Rohidas’s unavailability, which hampers rolling substitutions, short-corner defence and a diminished drag-flick backup for skipper Harmanpreet Singh.

(Amit Rohidas being proven the pink card within the quarterfinal towards Nice Britain – ANI Picture)
The place it may additionally harm India is in manufacturing counter-attacks after a profitable defence of a penalty nook, as a result of one of many midfielders might need to be pulled again to finish the set of 5 in India’s submit with Rohidas out on the suspension chair.
Maybe one strategy to look past that drawback is that it stays 11 vs 11 on the battlefield. The dugout can maintain the 15 vs 16.
The huge event reminds of the remark as soon as made by former India coach Michael Nobbs.
“It is advisable to put coffins on the sidelines and provides it your all when enjoying on your nation,” the Australian as soon as stated.

(PR Sreejesh, left, with captain Harmanpreet Singh – Picture Supply: X)
You’ll be able to’t doubt this Indian crew about giving it their all. If they will do it for 120 extra minutes throughout two days within the French capital, the ‘Holy Grail’ will probably be again to the place it belonged for eight Olympic editions, six of these in a row.
All roads for the Indians on Tuesday in Paris will result in the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, whereas hundreds of thousands again residence cross their fingers.