Tokyo Olympics: 'Bronze win a turning point for hockey like 1983 was for cricket,' says Balvinder Singh Sandhu

Balvinder Singh Sandhu

India's 1983 World Cup cricketer Balvinder Singh Sandhu reckoned the hockey team's 5-4 win over Germany to win the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, could be a game-changer for the national game like the 1983 cricket triumph.

India won their first Olympic medal since 1980 when they won gold at the Moscow Games. "Great win by Indian men hockey team to win Bronze, beating Germany 5-4.

"This is a turning point for Hockey in India, like the 1983 cricket World Cup win. You made my heart swivel with joy and pride," Sandhu wrote on Facebook.

Sandhu, it can be recalled, bowled West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge, whose was the first West Indies wicket to fall in that historic final at Lord's. The win changed cricket forever, inspiring kids from all over the country to excel in cricket. Even Sachin Tendulkar admitted being tremendously chuffed as a 10-year-old over the victory. A few years later, he was playing alongside or against some of them in club and first-class cricket.

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir, who was part of MS Dhoni's 50-overs and T20 World Cup-winning teams in 2011 and 2007 respectively, tweeted: Forget 1983, 2007 or 2011, this medal in Hockey is bigger than any World Cup!

Also Read: Tokyo 2020: Sports fraternity overjoyed as India men's hockey team clinch bronze