A CRACKING START India Face-off With Pak On Opening Day

A CRACKING START India Face-off With Pak On Opening Day Alok Sinha | TNN New Delhi: Pakistan captain Zeeshan Ashraf wants a special birthday gift on Sunday. The Indians, led by Rajpal Singh, are desperate to deny him that. No, there's nothing personal about it. It's all about the age-old rivalry of the Green Shirts and the Blue Shirts on the hockey turf. There are no friends in this arena when these two teams lock sticks during those magical, emotional 70 minutes.     In what promises to be a perfect start to the Hero Honda Hockey World Cup that is struggling to catch nation's, if not the world's, imagination, the two teams will be locked in a fierce battle at a packed Major Dhyan Chand stadium on Sunday evening. It will be more than a hockey match. It has always been that way ever since they first squared up in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics final.     The obvious question on the minds of the fans would be: which team is the favourite? That's a tough one. When these two teams play, anything is possible. Form takes a back seat, tactics go for a toss and pressure calls the shots. The team which soaks in the pressure better and copes with the rush of adrenaline comes out the winner.     The last time they met was in the Champions Challenge tournament last year, which India dominated and yet lost 3-6. So, don't get swayed by that scoreline. Don't also believe the head-to-head (Pakistan won 74, India won 44) statistics either. As we said, this one is much more than that.     The tournament is India's Spanish coach Jose Brasa's first big test. He has been coaching this bunch for only nine months, which doesn't mean much when you are trying to turn around the fortunes of a team in modern hockey. But it can still make a difference. At least India can improve upon their 11th place finish in the last World Cup. And for starters, win the big one on Sunday. So, what works for which team? India will bank on their drag-flick experts Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram and Dhananjay Mahadik to get them goals through penalty corners. THE BLUE STARS GOALKEEPERS: Adrian D'Souza: Brave, innovative and not afraid to take risks. A good defender of penalty corners as well PR Sreejesh: The 21-year old from Kerala, who tried his hands in shot put and volleyball, is Adrian's backup for the event. His forte is his fearlessness. DEFENDERS Sandeep Singh: Likely to be India's main weapon with his drag-flicks. He has also improved his defence skills. Diwakar Ram: Shares a lot of similarities with Sandeep — both are fullbacks and both are penalty corner experts. Dhananjay Mahadik: Another dragflicker and the third full-back in the side. Expert in dodging the rival defence with his flicks. His defence skills are reliable MIDFIELDERS Sardar Singh: A reliable midfielder who's quick on the turf. Has been a consistent performer in recent times Gurbaj Singh: In-form, Gurbaj is one of those few who can invade the rival defence rival defence and recover quickly as well. Bharat Chikara: Reliable and fast. The midfielder has cemented his place in the side on the back of some good show. Arjun Halappa: A natural right-in who has now been shunted to the midfield for his scheming abilities. Speed and control are his great virtues. Danish Mujtaba: Green in experience, Danish is a midfielder who puts his mind into the game. Vikram Pillay: A veteran of Asian Games, Olympics and World Cup, Pillay is a centre-half who loves to attack. More physical and workmanlike. FORWARDS Rajpal Singh: Is quick and his centres are precise and well-timed. A vital player in the team ever since his appearance in the Hobart Junior World Cup in 2001. Shivendra Singh: With a penchant for counter-attack, Shivendra is a key member of the forwardline. His four goals in the seven matches during the last World Cup testifies his scoring skills Tushar Khandker: Quick and effective. Can score from difficult angles. His burst with the ball often takes the opposition by surprise Prabhjot Singh: A left winger who loves solo moves and dribbles. Has speed and fine striking abilities are an asset if he is in the mood. Sarwanjit Singh: Fairly new to the international scene, Sarwanjit's strength lies in his ability to dodge rivals with ease Deepak Thakur: The most senior player in the side, followed by Prabhjot and Arjun. The striker with 257 caps has a flair for scoring goals. Gurvinder Singh Chandi: One of the youngest in the side. Skillful and fast, Chandi can beat the best of players on his day with his dribles