As the World Cup begins today in September Bhubaneswar, here is what it means for the Indian coach and young players THIS CAN BE INDIAN HOCKEY’S ‘1983’ HARENDRA SINGH, COACH A World Cup in front of one’s home crowd is special. As India inches closer to their first match, the excitement is palpable. This Indian team has a great mix of youth and experience. It’s average age is in the early-20s, perfect for competitive hockey. Though they are younger as compared to many teams at this World Cup, this very factor can prove to be their advantage. There is experience in the form of Sreejesh, Kothajit, Harmanpreet, Manpreet, Birendra Lakra, who will form the core and run the play, while younger players will use their speed, intensity and exuberance in winning the ball, launching counter-attacks and fall back when needed. This World Cup will hopefully be an agent of change for Indian hockey, the way the 1983 Cricket World Cup was for Indian cricket. To make this happen, we also need to iron out our flaws. We have to treat each match equally, as if it is our last match. In a tournament like the World Cup, each result matters…