In speedy Prasad, India discover a artistic midfielder to fill a void

The transfer started with Vivek Sagar Prasad receiving a move together with his again to the Argentine purpose, metres away from the Indian ‘D’ and with Ignacio Ortiz, a virtually six-foot tall midfielder, charging in. Two different Argentine gamers waited to pounce on the slightest of errors Prasad would make.
The tiniest participant on the sector (at 5-foot-3), although, confirmed that regardless of all of the fuss over physique, there’s no substitute for fast toes in hockey. He took half-a-step to his proper, and with a slight shuffle, modified his course to left. Ortiz purchased the dummy and went the incorrect means, giving Prasad sufficient area to calmly move to defender Birendra Lakra.
Ten passes, a weaving by the center by Hardik Singh, and half a minute later, Lalit Upadhyay completed the intricate transfer that concerned seven gamers with a shocking crew purpose that concerned an uncharacteristically affected person build-up and began with a seemingly defensive move by Prasad.
India finally gained the sport on Sunday 3-0 however, though encouraging, outcomes months earlier than the Olympics can typically be deceiving as India have skilled earlier than the London and Rio Games.
Upadhyay’s purpose, due to the build-up, provided a glimpse into what the crew had been engaged on throughout their year-long absence from the worldwide scene owing to the pandemic. The different speaking level from the weekend was Prasad, who has lastly began displaying his much-talked about skill-set, based mostly on which he grew to become the second-youngest participant ever to signify India three years in the past.
Wrong-footing the opponents, as he did with Ortiz, has been Prasad’s trademark since he began taking part in; the truth is, that’s how he impressed Ashok Kumar, son of the legendary Dhyan Chand and scorer of the purpose that led India to its sole World Cup triumph in 1975, throughout an area event in Akola in 2014.
In Buenos Aires final weekend, nevertheless, he confirmed a wider vary of his skills in the course of the Pro League matches. He glided previous the burly Argentines as if they didn’t exist, performed the appropriate passes and confirmed management and subtlety within the midfield. He reminded everybody why he was touted as one in every of India’s greatest prospects, earlier than getting misplaced within the transition to seniors.
Jude Felix, who coached Prasad when he was with the junior crew not too way back, says the midfielder appears to be like primed to fill the artistic void that exists within the crew in the intervening time. “We don’t have many creative players in the team, especially the midfield,” Felix, a Dronacharya award winner, stated. “Manpreet is more of a robust defensive midfielder; Chinglensana has a tendency to play back passes… Vivek is the creative spark that is right now missing in this team.”

Prasad is a centre-half, a place the place India’s present captain Manpreet performs, and former skipper Sardar thrived in. Comparisons, due to this fact, change into inevitable. More so when, as a 17-year-old, he was thrust into the limelight after being chosen forward of Sardar for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
At the time, his attack-mindedness impressed the coaches: Sardar was getting slower; Manpreet, although stable within the midfield, was extra defensive as Felix identified; Prasad’s first intuition was to move ahead. But Prasad, who’s the second-youngest participant to signify India, mysteriously underperformed in matches regardless of doing most issues proper throughout coaching.
“David John (the former High Performance Director) spoke to him and tried to understand his situation. Sometimes, it gets overwhelming for a young player so it was important to remain patient with him,” one in every of India’s selectors stated. “He looks more settled in the team now, maybe that is why he is playing with confidence which was lacking before. These two matches should improve him even more.”
Felix stated the place Prasad performs in is necessary, on condition that many of the attacking strikes move by a centre-half whereas on the similar time, there may be defensive duty as a result of even a tiny error may expose the defence. It stays to be seen, although, if the current good shows will likely be sufficient for Prasad, named International Hockey Federation’s Rising Star for the yr 2019, to make the 16-member crew for the Olympics.
“From a long-term perspective – Prasad is only 21 – he has to evolve. Right now, he has the skill and the vision, but he needs to improve his technique, like taking the ball on the run, to become even better,” Felix says. “This is a crucial stage for him; either he will need a coach who tells him to do certain things, or he will have to self-learn.”
A former India captain expressed considerations over his brief stature, fearing he may get rolled over by stronger midfielders. But Felix isn’t apprehensive about that. “He makes up for that with his speed and quick feet. He can wrong-foot players easily.”
As he did with Ortiz. Whether he can produce extra such performances persistently, although, stays to be seen.