In the current men’s hockey team, if one looks for players born before 1994, you will find only two — Manpreet Singh and Amit Rohidas. A young side, barring the two veterans, none of the others were even born the last time India defeated England in a World Cup contest. Monday’s meeting then must count as a unique first.That victory came at the 1994 edition in Sydney, when Mohammad Riaz scored the winner as India finished sixth. Since then, India have endured three defeats — often in close contests — against England in World Cups. Their best result came in the previous edition in Bhubaneswar, where the teams played out a goalless draw.This is a record Craig Fulton’s side will be keen to set straight when they face the world No. 3 side on Monday. India have, however, ticked a few boxes against England in recent times, the biggest being their quarterfinal victory at the Paris Olympics.India opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Wales on Saturday, while England defeated Pakistan 4-1.India could afford moments of sluggishness against Wales, but England will present a different challenge. One of the biggest positives from the opener was the coordination between the strike force and midfield.The biggest concern was the drop in intensity during the final 10 minutes. “Since we have started playing the Pro League, it’s been pretty equal. But the World Cup is different. It’s a must-win game for both the teams. They are the highest-ranked team in our pool, so we are really going to go after them,” he said.
