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This appears to be the high time for making changes in the age old formats of various sports across the globe. So far so good, as the burning success of IPL is an example of total acceptability of innovation. But the success of IBL and IPL-style football is yet to be established. In fact, many years back, when Kerry Packer threw the idea of one day cricket, there was an unparalleled uproar and in the beginning, no one was ready to even consider the proposal. History is full of examples where we do not easily accept any deviation from the established norms. But the change is inevitable, natural, and a tool of growth and progression.
I know many will not find the new concept of hockey a very noble one.
As per a report by leading daily, Hindustan, this concept was revealed by Jacques Rogge, the chief of IOC. He explained that during the Youth Olympic Games to be held in Nanjing China in August 2014, there will be an altogether different format of hockey.
Instead of the conventional 11 players, there will be only 5 players in each side including the goalkeeper. The total squad will consist of 9 players. The duration of the match will be 36 minutes (against 70 minutes now) divided into 3 segments of 12 minutes each, with a short interval of 2 minutes in between. Thus, 40 minutes will be required for a match. Every match will have a winner and extra time will be given to get the result.
The length and width of the field will be reduced to half of the existing dimensions. It will be 55 meters long and 41.70 meters wide. In other important changes, the circle system will be eliminated and the players will be free to score from anywhere.
There will be no penalty corner or penalty stroke. Instead, one on one challenge concept will be implied, wherein the goalkeeper will encounter one attacker. Hopefully, these major changes will be able to convert the game into a much faster mode which will prove to be a very interesting equation.
There have been many changes in hockey over the years, ranging from introduction of artificial turf to offside rules. But this is the first ever attempt to change the format upside down. The approach behind this was to introduce a mini edition of hockey to the tune of t20 cricket. The need for this change was felt, keeping in view the paucity of time in today’s hectic life. This would also keep alive the attachment of the fans.
This is too early to predict anything, but we can hope for the best. Hockey has gone beyond the boundaries of Asia, so the liking of other hockey playing countries also forms a vital part of the decision making. Somehow, I feel that Indians might be able to dominate this format, as penalty corners and penalty strokes have not been their strong point. Let us hope this innovation proves to be a game changer like T20.
