Junior Hockey World Cup: India was hungry and determined - The bronze is a fine end to a stellar campaign

India's players pose with their bronze medals during FIH Junior Mens World Cup 2025, at Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, in Chennai. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

India was down 0-2 going into the final 15 minutes of the game and that too in front of a sizeable home crowd. It was enough to deflate spirits. Some magic was needed from somewhere especially with a team like Argentina, which is fit and physical at the same time. Earning the penalty corner was the first step. And when the direct hit wasn’t taken and rather the ball was pushed well into the D for the deflection, you could sense that the Indians hadn’t panicked. That they were thinking clean and mentally each of the players were switched on. 1-2 and India was in business.

A couple of minutes later India had yet one more penalty corner. And it was the very same drill. Only this time the ball was deflected high into the net. But it was literally a carbon copy of the first goal. India had identified a weakness and had exploited it to perfection. The crowd had found voice and there was no stopping the home side from there on.

While the game had evened out, the final push was still needed. And then within three minutes of each other India found the net twice more. 4-2 and the game was done, the final goal coming from a direct hit of a penalty corner from Anmol. In the interim ShardaNand Tiwari had converted a penalty stroke and had given India the 3-1 lead.

There is a reason why it is said that elite high performance sport is played in the mind. 15 minutes separated India from a podium finish and fourth place. Missing out on a medal would have been painful and could have dented the sport in India. For these players who were all flying after beating Belgium, it would have been hard. They needed this win and needed it bad. And to do so, as Sreejesh said at the end of the game, they needed to believe in themselves. Believe that it could be done and mentally needed to be switched on.

The difference between the two teams was the determination. India was just that extra bit determined and believed that it wasn’t over with 13 minutes on the clock. This is what was refreshing to see and this is a trait we very rarely identify with the Indian team. Even against Belgium India had conceded a goal in the very last minute of the game and that’s what pushed it to the shootout, which Princedeep then took over. But conceding a goal at the very end has always cost India dear. Here it was the opposite. India was the aggressor in the fourth quarter and that’s what tipped scales in their favour.

As these boys celebrate the hard earned medal, each of them will know this is just the start. The gap between junior and senior is massive and for each of them it should be a mission to make it to the senior team in the next few years. In Sreejesh they have the perfect mentor. He has been there and done that and will tell the boys that it is never over till it is over. They experienced it yesterday and it must have been a huge life lesson for everyone.