Kuala Lumpur, Sept 22: Short corner expert Dilip Tirkey will look to make up for the absence of drag flicker Jugraj Singh by taking on "extra responsibility" to ensure India do justice to their potential and return home with the Asia Cup hockey title. India may have won a couple of tournaments here and there but a triumph in the real sense -- that is in a big tournament -- has eluded them starting with the Asian Games last year.
The sixth edition of the Asia Cup has provided the Indians an opportunity to win an important tournament and they are not taking any chances.
"This is our best chance to win the Asia Cup. All my teammates are in good spirits and raring to prove themselves," said Tirkey. India were dealt a blow ahead of the tournament when Jugraj Singh met with an accident in Punjab earlier this month but now they have mentally prepared themselves to adjust to the situation where they will have to do without the services of the short corner specialist, undoubtedly among the best in the world.
In Jugraj's absence, a lot of responsibility rests with defender Tirkey who has also taken it as a challenge and is ready to fight the odds.
"it means double responsibility for me and I am ready for it. I may not be a drag flicker like Jugraj but I will try to make do with my direct hits," Tirkey said. "I know direct hits do not always result in goals and a drag flicker is more important for the team because he can confuse the rivals with his skills. We will try other variations to dodge our rivals," the soft-spoken player from Orissa said.
"We will depend on Baljit Singh Dhillon who is developing his skills as a drag flicker."
Tirkey said Bangladesh were not exactly a "weak" team and they were probably done in by the fact that they were meeting Pakistan in their very first outing.
"We cannot take them lightly. We will try to score as many goals against them so that even if the goal average factor comes into play we have an advantage," he said. Bureau Report