Click to play videoMumbai: The Indian hockey team returned earlier this week from the Champions Challenge Cup in Belgium. A third place finish meant they won't be part of the elite Champions Trophy later in the year. But as national coach Joaquim Carvalho told CNN-IBN's Roma Khanna, things are starting to look up for India's national sport.
India went down 2-1 to eventual champions Argentina at the Champions Challenge. It was a hit-and-miss tournament for the Indian team; impressive performances strewn with some by now common defensive errors.
"We are working on those lines, these two tournaments were our first assignments, the first two stages. We have gone through the stages quite successfully, but as I said earlier, there is a lot of work to be done and our main goal is the Olympic qualifiers, where once you are gone, you are gone for good. And that is what we are looking forward to," coach Carvalho says.
And this was an even rarer sight - a penalty corner succesfully converted. Sandeep Singh in his comeback tournament missed more than he hit bulls eye with. It remains a perennial problem.
"That's one department where any team converts their penalty corners, they can be successful. It's like catches win matches, but I think if you do not convert your penalty corners, then you are in for trouble," Carvalho adds.
A scrappy 3-2 win over England ensured that India didn't slip from their current ranking of No. 8 in the world and managed a bronze. Next up is the Asia Cup in Chennai, where they will be keen to put the ghosts of the last Asian Games behind them.
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