Kaushik urges seniors to take on more responsibility

Kazan, Apr 23 (UNI) Indian womens' hockey coach MK Kaushik today said senior players will have to pull their weight to ensure that the team qualifies for the Beijing Olympics.

''I have no complaints against any individual, but the seniors have to understand just domination won't do, there has to be goals on the field,'' Kaushik said. ''They need to set standard for the youngsters to pick up.'' Acknowledging that the Indians need to improve their stoppage during penalty corners, the veteran coach said the forwards, specially the senior ones, will have to pull up their socks.

''Yes, stopping is a problem, I agree. Still we perfectly stopped 7, 8 of them on Tuesday, but could not score,'' he said.

''The real problem is not scoring. The scoreboard is the proof.

Names of senior players like Surinder Kaur, Jasjeet Kaur and Mamta Kharab are not there.'' About the fact that of 24 penalty corners in three matches, India had converted only two of them, Kaushik said,''our normal conversion rate is 30 per cent.'' However, Kaushik was confident that India can still make it to the Olympics.

''we should not have any problem if only we don't commit basic mistakes,'' he stated.

India, who have picked up a meagre three points from as many matches, will have to win both their remaining matches to catch the plane to Beijing.

They will lock horns with the US tomorrow and will take on France on April 26.

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