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Hockey World League: Lacklustre India face uphill task against Germany

New Delhi: Spanked in their opening two games by their opponents, a lacklustre India face an uphill task to get their campaign back on track at the Hero Hockey World League Finals as they take

     
The eight-time Olympic champions erred in their basic skills -- trapping and passing the ball -- in the first two matches.
     
With the presence of three drag-flick exponents in the side in the form V R Raghunath, Rupinderpal Singh and Amit Rohitdas, India were regarded as a formidable force in penalty corner conversions but they failed to convert a single one in the last two games in spite of earning a handful of set pieces.
     
India's performances in the first two games had been a cause of worry for its chief coach Terry Walsh, who is guiding the side for the first time in an international event after taking charge of the team only in last November.
     
In fact, Walsh was livid with his wards' performance against New Zealand, terming it "sub-standard" and "unacceptable".