Delhi’s Absence from Big-Time International Hockey Action Landscape
Delhi – the capital city of India – has carved out a great reputation over time not just in churning quality players to the national side but also as an organizer of big-ticket international events. However, all of that appears to be ‘long time back’ – startling it may seem, take this fact – Delhi has not hosted any international hockey match or a tournament for more than a decade now – the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium has been starved of international hockey.
The last time Delhi had hosted any international tournament or a match was way back in January 2014 (January 18-24 to be precise) when the final of the inaugural Hockey World League (now replaced by the Pro League) was played at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium – Netherlands had won the inaugural crown, thumping New Zealand 7-2 in a rather lop-sided final tie. The tournament would be remembered for India’s famous 5-4 victory over ‘then reigning Olympic champions’ Germany courtesy a sizzling hat-trick by Mandeep Singh in the 5-6th place classification tie. The event was also the first assignment of coach Terry Walsh, who had replaced fellow Aussie Michael Nobbs.
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No wonder, hockey lovers in and around New Delhi are brimming with excitement at the prospect of India taking on Germany in a Two Test Series at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on October 23 and 24. The series is looked forward to all around as a clash between the Olympic bronze medallist and the Olympic silver medallist.
Prior to the inaugural Hockey World League final in January 2014, Delhi was witness to a regular bout of hosting international matches. The capital city had hosted the Junior Men’s World Cup at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in December 2013.
Delhi also played host of the Hockey World League Round 2 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in February 2013 – a year before the Olympic Qualifiers was played at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in February 2012, where Sandeep Singh smashed three hat-tricks in the tournament en route to India qualifying for the Olympics. The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium had also hosted two bilateral series – India -South Africa Five Test Series (Men) and India – Azerbaijan Four Test Series (Women) in January 2012. Of course, two years prior to 2012, Delhi hosted the 2010 World Cup as well as the 2010 Commonwealth Games – both at the same venue – Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
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The World Cup was the first big event played in Delhi in three years – in December 2007, the Four Nation Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey Tournament (Women) was played at the Shivaji Stadium. The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium had also hosted the Five Nation Indira Gandhi Women’s Hockey Tournament in October 2005 as well as the Women’s Asia Cup in February 2004. Previously, the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium had hosted the 5th India-Pakistan Test in October 2004 – it hosted the 1st India-Pakistan Test in February 1999 as well as the 5th India-Pakistan Test in March 1998.
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Vineet Sharma, former Indian captain and Senior Vice President of Hockey Delhi puts things in perspective. “The hosting of the India-Germany Two Test Series in Delhi after a decade would give a big boost to the hockey in the national capital. A decade is a long time and I couldn’t be more happy to see Hockey India conduct this high-profile Test series in Delhi. There are hockey lovers all across the country and spectators want to watch their heroes in action from close quarters,” says the former Indian fullback, who has made more than 150 international appearances in a chat with Hockey Passion.
The burly deep defender, who made his senior international debut at the 1979 Esanda International Tourney at Perth and called time on his international career after the 1987 Indira Gandhi Gold Cup at Lucknow, while acknowledging the ‘amazing hosting power’ of Odisha over the years, feels the game would get a big boost if international tournaments or matches are held all across the country. “I truly appreciate the amazing work done by the Odisha government, in terms of sponsoring the national team. I’m fine with Odisha hosting a large chunk of the international tourneys as they have great infrastructure but we must also open a window for other venues to host international matches as spectators across different parts of the country have a certain degree of expectations. I vividly remember in our time international hockey matches used to be held at various venues – Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and even Kolhapur and it helped the sport grow across all regions,” he points out.
Clearly, the hosting of the India-Germany Two Test Series is indeed a good augury for Delhi hockey buffs – hopefully, this would be the ‘beginning of many more’ international matches and tournaments in the national capital. The fact that the series would be a big boost for the hockey fraternity in Delhi is not lost on anyone.
Major International Hockey Tournaments Held in Delhi
| Tournament | Year |
| Men’s Hockey World League Final Round | January 2014 |
| Junior Men’s World Cup | December 2013 |
| Men’s Hockey World League Round 2 | February 2013 |
| Men & Women Olympic Qualifiers | February 2012 |
| Men’s World Cup | February-March 2010 |
| Men & Women Commonwealth Games | October 2010 |
| Women’s Asia Cup | February 2004 |
