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Chennai: Sports activities followers in Tami Nadu have cheered a lot for Chennai Tremendous Kings and Chennaiyin FC in current instances, however they’re now ready to root for their very own in one other sport — one which was as soon as very near the state however stands virtually forgotten now as a consequence of no illustration from the state on the nationwide stage for a very long time.
The Indian hockey workforce used to have many good gamers from Tamil Nadu as soon as. However for the previous greater than a decade, gamers from the state didn’t get the nationwide break. The 13-year drought has lastly ended.
The not too long ago introduced Asia Cup squad has two children who’ve made the lower from Tamil Nadu.
After 2009, that is the primary time two gamers from the state have made it to the Indian hockey workforce. Beforehand, Naveen and Gunasekaran had performed for India on the Asia Cup. Now, midfielder Mareeswaran Sakthivel and ahead S Karthi have been chosen for the Indian workforce that’s going to the distinguished match starting in Indonesia on Monday, Could 23.
The India hockey authorities have determined to ship the India A workforce to the Asia Cup below the captaincy of stalwart Rupinder Pal Singh. Birendra Lakra is the vice-captain. India tackle archrival Pakistan of their first conflict on Monday. The match will likely be performed on the GBK Sports activities Advanced Hockey Stadium in Jakarta, and it’ll begin at 5 pm IST.
The Chosen Two
Mareeswaran Sakthivel, who hails from a poor household in Kovilpatti, has been taking part in hockey since childhood. In his interviews, he has stated his solely purpose was to attain one thing larger on this sport. He had been always doing properly however not sufficient to make it to the Junior World Cup workforce. His laborious work lastly paid off and he acquired the decision from the India A workforce.
S Karthi, who’s from Ariyalur, can be wanting to make use of this chance to provide his finest to cement his place within the nationwide workforce.
Tamil Nadu and Hockey
Tamil Nadu acquired its first hockey Olympian method again in 1936. Ernest John Goodsir-Cullen from the Madras Medical school was a part of the workforce that received the Olympics gold. After him, Tamil Nadu had Ranganthan Francis who was a part of the Olympic Gold medal-winning workforce 3 times — in 1948,1952 and 1956.
Then got here Krishnamurthy Perumal who was a double Olympian, representing India within the 1968 and 1972 Video games. He represented India within the 1971 Hockey World Cup additionally. The final Olympic medalist from the state was Vasudevan Baskaran who captained the Indian facet within the 1980 Moscow Olympics that received the final hockey gold for India.
After him, it was Adam Sinclair who represented Indian within the Olympics, and was the final Olympian from the state. Another hockey greats from the state embody Leslie Frenandaz and VJ Peter.
After the 2004 Athens Olympics, Tamil Nadu didn’t ship any hockey participant to the grand occasion. Many gamers emerged within the junior ranks however they failed to maneuver up.
Tamil Nadu’s little city Kovilpatti within the Thoothukudi district has been the bastion of hockey within the state for a few years. The Tamil Nadu hockey workforce will get most of its gamers from Kovilpatti and its surrounding areas. Love for the sport in Kovilpatti began lengthy again with the go to of legendary participant Main Dhyanchand within the Nineteen Fifties.
Kovilpatti now has an artificial turf and in addition round a dozen hockey golf equipment.
With the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics approaching, the younger bunch of gamers going to play the Asia Cup will get good worldwide publicity.
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