Ranchi: The result of India`s opening hockey match against the Netherlands on July 30 will be crucial to India`s chances in the London Olympics and they should not miss a single penalty corner against them, says former player Michael Kindo.
"India has a tough opening challenge against the Netherlands. A win or a draw would ease the team in its quest for a hockey medal, as Germany and New Zealand are also in India`s group," Kindo, a member of the bronze-medal winning team in the 1972 Munich Olympics, said.
Kindo, a fullback during his playing days, said India should ponder over their poor rate of conversion in a three-nation tournament recently.
"I was keenly following the three-nation tournament in Spain. India managed to score only three out of 33 penalty corners they got in the tourney."
He wished drag-flicker Sandeep Singh luck following the ace player`s resolve to find the target in every match during the Games.
But he said that the team should always come up with different ideas to breach the rival defence by changing the blade (of the stick) and hitting at different angles whenever a penalty corner is earned."
PTI
