The Hero Honda hockey world cup being hosted in India this year has seen a good turnout in the stands, over the past two days. To add to that, the Indian team thrashed the Pakistani team by 4-1 in their opening game on Sunday night.
Rewards are already beckoning the players, it seems as though India has already won the world cup title. This is in contrast to the scenario a few months back, when the players threatened to boycott the world cup unless all their dues were cleared. The media mileage behind this story ensured that support came in from all quarters, individuals & multinational corporations alike.
The players & the federation have put the past behind & ‘Aal Izz Well’ for now. The Hero Honda campaigns starring celebs like Sehwag & Priyanka Chopra with a catch line like “Phir Dil Do Hockey Ko, Hero Honda Dhak Dhak Go” has managed to catch the viewer’s attention ensuring that the stadium is filled during the matches. The prominent coverage of these matches by the news channels has also helped in grabbing more eye-balls. A special mention for the Indian squad’s coach, Jose Brasa. He’s done a spectacular job in bringing together the entire squad as a single unit & utilizing each of the players to their true potential.
Let’s pray that all this is the beginning of a revival of Indian hockey & not just a passing phase like always.
ragsnair.com 