CHENNAI: One look at past Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) schedules will confirm this event is being rebooted after three years of neglect.
It was first held in 2011 (subsequently in 2012 and 2013) with a view to giving upcoming Asian sides opportunity to play the likes of India and Pakistan on a yearly basis. But most teams didn't take it seriously. However, that has changed this year with all six sides — hosts Malaysia, India, Pakistan, China, Japan and South Korea — fielding near full-strength outfits.
The reason for this paradigm shift in mentality is the FIH decision to make the ACT a continental-ranking event. What this means is this is a mandatory tournament for teams who want to take part at the World Cup and the Olympic Games.
The presence of India and Pakistan, in the current climate, makes this tournament — 18 months before the 2018 World Cup — an intriguing one. Going purely on form, India are overwhelming favourites. Bronze at the World League Finals, silver at the Champions Trophy in London and Olympic quarterfinals is a rather good return for a team fighting for wooden spoons in every competition not that long ago.
One can actually make a case for saying India are under pressure to win the tournament — their recent dominance against Asian sides has been remarkable. In 2016, they have played four matches against Asian sides. The numbers? Won: four; goals for: 15; goals against: four. In 2015, they played nine matches (including a four-match Test series against Japan), with the only loss coming against Malaysia. The records essentially translate to one solitary loss against Asian opponents since the beginning of 2015.
The rankings reflect the supremacy. India are sixth, with South Korea (at 11th), the next best ranked team. However, V Baskaran, former India skipper, said that counts for little. "See, I don't really look at rankings. The likes of Malaysia and South Korea are usualy there or thereabouts and what happens on the day counts more than where they are placed in the FIH list."
A lot has been made about Pakistan's decline in the last 18 months and Baskaran blames it on the system, or the lack there of, in the country. "Pakistan are nowhere. The talent maybe there but nobody is coming out of the system. In India you have many that you can name as world beaters. Pakistan? Not sure.”
Saying that, India and Pakistan, in the last two FIH-ranking events, have gone at each other with the fury of god's own thunder. Champions Trophy in Bhubaneswar in 2014 and Asian Games in Incheon in the same year. Since then, the two have hurriedly marched towards opposing sides of the spectrum.
Malaysia and South Korea, too, have failed to meet the heights of the naughties. A surprising result or two might set them on the right track before World Cup qualifiers.
Thursday's matches: Malaysia vs Pakistan; India vs Japan.
India's fixtures: Oct 20 vs Japan; Oct 22 vs South Korea; Oct 23 vs Pakistan; Oct 25 vs China; Oct 26 vs Malaysia. Oct 29 semifinals. Oct 30 third place and final.
World rankings: India 6, South Korea 11, Pakistan 13, Malaysia 14, Japan 16, China 18.
Previous winners: 2011: India, 2012: Pakistan, 2013: Pakistan.
swaroop@newindianexpress.com