Hockey World Cup: The penalty corner dilemma – criticise drag-flickers or laud defenders? | Hockey News – Times of India

BHUBANESWAR: The most obvious question since India’s first match of the ongoing Men’s Hockey World Cup has been: “Why hasn’t the team been able to convert any of its penalty corners?” To make matters worse, drag-flick expert and captain Harmanpreet Singh missed a penalty stroke as well against Spain. India won 2-0, but that’s not the context here.
The penalty corner (PC) story is one of the most riveting studies of this World Cup. The game between England and India saw 12 penalty corners — none were scored off, as England pulled their hair on eight occasions to be 0/8.
A penalty corner set-piece is one of the spectacles of hockey. The thrill that drag-flicks at speeds of 150kmph at times bring is unmatched to most other facets of the game.

But lately, especially with the advent of safety kits and face masks for players in PC defence, the conversion rate has witnessed a nosedive.
Putting the 16 games of this World Cup so far in that context, the conversion rate is a mere 11 percent, as confirmed by the International Hockey Federation. And it could enter double digits only because Australia are head and shoulders above the rest of the 15 teams in the fray in the Odisha cities of Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.
The Kookaburras enjoy a staggering 50% conversion rate, with PC numbers reading 3/6 against France and 2/4 against Argentina. India have scored once in nine attempts in two matches so far. And the one time they scored was not from a direct attempt, it was off a rebound.
Former England captain and the current FIH Sport and Development Director, Jon Wyatt, put the dropping conversion percentage in perspective.

“You have most defences now with all of the protective equipment. They run two defenders basically to block half of the goal. The goalkeeper doesn’t have to worry about one side of the goal anymore because there are two people in the way…So the goalkeeper now stands offset, only having to worry about half of the goal. If you shoot this way, it’s really difficult. We see a few goals, but the number of goals (from penalty corners) has reduced,” said Wyatt talking to TimesofIndia.com in Bhubaneswar.
The protective equipment worn by the rushers and those manning the goal-line has certainly added more courage to PC defence, with players not fearing putting their bodies on the line. Most coaches toe that line, which makes one ask the question – are wrong questions being asked when the drag-flick exponents are criticized for poor conversion rate, like at the World Cup currently.
“What we are seeing is the next generation of PC defence,” India coach Graham Reid said in response to a question asked by TimesofIndia.com in Bhubaneswar ahead of India’s match against Wales on January 19.
“With video analysis, you analyze a lot of things from around the corner, trying to block options…I think what happens in World Cups or big games is you end up with a team that is well drilled because everyone is together and trying to work around, everyone has (their) best runners,” Reid added.
The point of quality rushers was also illustrated in the surprising innovation New Zealand tried in their match against the Netherlands, when the Black Sticks withdrew their goalkeeper in the first quarter itself. The Dutch team earned a penalty corner, but still couldn’t score off it. It’s that quality of rushing these days that both Wyatt and Reid were talking about.
India saved eight penalty corners against England and interestingly on none of those eight occasions were the Indian goalkeepers required to save off a direct attempt. The ball never reached PR Sreejesh or Krishan Pathak, who guarded the post in alternate quarters. The quality of India’s rushing led by Manpreet Singh and Amit Rohidas echoed in the comments of England coach Paul Revington.
“The quality of the PC defence of the teams has improved. I thought India really ran some high-quality first waves. That makes a difference at this level,” Revington had said after the 0-0 stalemate against India.
Australia coach Colin Batch didn’t reveal the PC tactics of his team, something no coach would do in the middle of a World Cup, especially when things are working for them. But he did mention that having two world class consistent drag-flickers in Blake Govers and Jeremy Hayward has helped.
“We have got a lot of confidence in the drag-flick of both Hayward and Govers. We keep finding our way to score; full marks to them for their technique and their accuracy,” said Batch when TimesofIndia.com asked him about the Aussie drag-flick mantra for success. “The most important thing is to keep putting (shooting) the ball towards the net and force saves. As long as we keep doing that, we will have some success.”
While the jury is still out on whether to laud PC defence or criticize drag-flickers. The Australian flickers are an exception in this World Cup and two years down the line a lot may change in PC set-pieces.
The FIH is not just looking into the dropping number of PC conversion rate but is also concerned about the safety issue of players off penalty corners.
On that note, some experiments are on the anvil and the teams may need an overhaul of tactics come 2025. For now, though, the focus is firmly on the ongoing World Cup; and if drag-flick is one of the benchmarks to become world champion, Australia are looking good for a fourth crown.