The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists can have solely 15 gamers obtainable to play the last-four conflict as an alternative of a full squad of 16 after defender Amit Rohidas was suspended for one match following his purple card within the quarterfinal in opposition to Nice Britain.WHY ROHIDAS GOT A RED CARD
The 31-year-old Rohidas was noticed swinging his stick throughout the face of British ahead Will Calnan within the second quarter of the match on Sunday. The on-field umpire didn’t rule the offence as critical to get a purple card, however he was proven purple and given the marching orders after a video referral.
Subsequently, India performed the British staff with 10 gamers for greater than 40 minutes. Nonetheless, the Harmanpreet Singh-led aspect defended heroically, thanks largely to PR Sreejesh’s presence within the goalpost, to held onto the 1-1 scoreline and take the sport to a shootout.
Goalkeeper Sreejesh as soon as once more turned out to be the star, saving two makes an attempt by the GB staff within the one-on-one shootout to assist India earn a dramatic 4-2 win and a second successive entry into the semis on the Olympics.
HOCKEY INDIA’S OFFICIAL COMPLAINT
After the match, India formally raised a priority “in regards to the high quality of umpiring and decision-making” and citied “a number of inconsistencies in officiating” that “probably influenced the sport’s consequence”.
Among the many points raised by India had been “inconsistent video umpire opinions, significantly relating to the red-card determination” and the truth that the British goalkeeper was being coached from behind the goalpost through the shootout.
“Hockey India requires an intensive assessment of those issues to uphold the integrity of the game and guarantee honest play in future matches,” the grievance learn.
ONE-MATCH SUSPENSION FOR ROHIDAS
Nonetheless, later within the night, the match’s organising committee handed Rohidas a one-match ban for breaching the FIH Code of Conduct, which suggests India can have one participant much less of their common squad of 16 males for the semifinal in opposition to Germany.
“Amit Rohidas was suspended for one match for a breach of the FIH Code of Conduct which occurred through the India vs Nice Britain match on August 4,” learn the official assertion by the FIH.
“The suspension impacts match No. 35 (India’s semi-final match in opposition to Germany), the place Amit Rohidas won’t take part and India will play with a squad of 15 gamers solely.”
HOW ROHIDAS’S ABSENCE AFFECTS INDIA
Rohidas’s absence will significantly hamper the Indian defence, their choices of drag-flickers on penalty corners and most significantly a rusher on penalty-corner defence.
Rohidas is taken into account the most effective rushers on the planet with regards to penalty-corner defence, and his absence will drive India’s chief coach Craig Fulton to change India’s short-corner technique in opposition to Germany.
