Indian field hockey team in Malaya and Singapore

An Indian field hockey team toured the Federation of Malaya and the Colony of Singapore between 11 February and 10 March 1954. The Indian Hockey Federation XI (IHF XI) played 16 games out of which three were international fixtures. India won all 16 matches, scoring a total of 121 goals. Captain of the touring side Balbir Singh Sr. finished with most goals (44), while Susainathan scored 25 and vice-captain Randhir Singh Gentle, 14.[1]

Indian field hockey team in Malaya and Singapore
Tournament details
Host countryFederation of Malaya
Colony of Singapore
Dates11 February – 10 March 1954
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored128 (8 per match)
Top scorer(s)Balbir Singh Sr. (44 goals)

Background

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The idea of inviting an India team to Malaya was first mooted in 1949 and officially expressed by G. E. N. Oehlers, then president of the Malayan Hockey Council (MHC).[2] In November 1952, the MHC wrote to the Government of India inviting a team in 1954. It suggested that the touring side include five or six national team players and that the side play nine games in Malaya and three in Singapore.[3] However, this was the second tour of Malaya by an Indian team; the first by the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics gold-winning national team that had toured the same year just before the Olympic Games. They played All-Malaya XI and beat them 7–0.[4]

Squad

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A 16-member Indian squad for the tour was named on 30 October 1953. Balbir Singh Sr. was named captain of the side and Randhir Singh Gentle, the vice-captain. The squad included six players from the team that won gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.[5] The squad arrived on 9 February 1954.[6]

The touring squad included:[5][7]

Key

GK = Goalkeeper, FB = Fullback, HB = Halfback, FW = Forward

Pos. Player Age Club
GK Ranganathan Francis 34
GK Ram Prakash
FB Randhir Singh Gentle (vc) 32
FB Abid Ali Rizvi 32 United Provinces
FB Bakshish Singh 25 Punjab
FB Leslie Claudius 26 Bengal Nagpur Railway
HB O. P. Malhotra United Provinces
HB Albert Middlecoat 29 Bombay
HB T. M. Padavat Mysore
HB Joseph de Mello Bombay, Tata
FW Raghbir Singh Bhola Delhi, Sanaspur SC
FW I. Susainathan 28 Madras Police
FW Muniswamy Rajgopal 27 Mysore
FW Bhaskaran 24 Mysore
FW Balbir Singh Sr. (c) 30
FW Raghbir Lal 33

Fixtures

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11 February 1954
India   3–1   Singapore
Gentle   12'
Bal. Singh Sr.   35'69'
Report Dozey   40'
Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 6,000
Umpires:
G. A. Tessensohn (SIN)
Ram Prakash (IND)

13 February 1954
IHF XI 7–1 South Malaya
Bhola   12'?'
Rajgopal   21'67'
Bal. Singh Sr.   ?'70'
Susainathan   68'
Report Dozey   36'
Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 5,200
Umpires:
Randhir Singh Gentle (IND)
G. A. Tessensohn (SIN)

15 February 1954
IHF XI 10–0 Malacca
Susainathan   8'
Bal. Singh Sr.   14'35'40'42'50'?'?'
Bhaskaran   18'
Bhola   29'
Report
Malaya
Attendance: 4,000
Umpires:
V. Hicks (MAL)
Ranganathan Francis (IND)

17 February 1954
17:15
IHF XI 4–1 Negeri Sembilan
Rajgopal   ?'3?'57'
Bhola   55'
Report Noordin   ?'
Station Padang, Seremban, Malaya
Attendance: 5,000
Umpires:
Ram Prakash (IND)
W. Harben

18 February 1954
IHF XI 8–0 Selangor
Susainathan   6'14'
Bal. Singh Sr.   8'?'?'69'
Gentle   48'
Rajgopal   ?'
Report
Malaya
Umpires:
Ram Prakash (IND)
L. S. Greening

20 February 1954
India   14–2   Malaya
Bal. Singh Sr.   5 goals'
Susainathan   4 goals'
Gentle   3 goals'
Malhotra  
Bhola  
Report EJ Van Lidth  
Coutts  
Malaya

23 February 1954
IHF XI 2–0 Perak
Bhola   43'?' Report
Malaya

25 February 1954
IHF XI 13–0 Federation of Malaya XI
Bal. Singh Sr.   3'11'
Gentle   8'?'?'
Susainathan   29'31'?'
Rajgopal   36'
Middlecoat   ?'
Report
Chinese Assembly Hall Ground, Ipoh, Malaya
Umpires:
Bakshish Singh (IND)
M. Muthucumaru

27 February 1954
IHF XI 12–0 Penang
Rajgopal   3'
Bal. Singh Sr.   5'?'?'?'?'58'65'?'
Susainathan   ?'?'?'
Report
4,000
Attendance: Western Road Ground, Penang, Malaya

28 February 1954
IHF XI 7–1 North Malaya
Middlecoat   ?'56'
Gentle   45'?'
Bhola   46'
Malhotra   52'63'
Report Arul   ?'
Chinese Assembly Hall Ground, Ipoh, Malaya
Umpires:
Ram Prakash
V. T. Durai

2 March 1954
IHF XI 4–0* Pahang
Susainathan   5'
Bhola   9'?'
de Mello   ?'
Report
Headquarters Malaya Ground, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya
Umpires:
Ranganathan Francis (IND)
Gurmukh Singh (IND)

3 March 1954
IHF XI 8–0 Negeri Sembilan
Gentle   7'
Susainathan   22'?'?'
Bal. Singh Sr.   ?'?'?'
Raghbir Lal   ?'
Report
Station Padang, Malaya
Attendance: 5,000

4 March 1954
IHF XI 4–0* MHC President's XI
Bal. Singh Sr.   19'35'46'52' Report
Headquarters Malaya Ground, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya
Umpires:
S. Mackenzie
S. Sockanathan

6 March 1954
India   6–0   Malaya
Rajgopal   3'33'
Susainathan   ?'19'?'
Bal. Singh Sr.   64'
Report
Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
Umpires:
M. Muthukumaru
B. S. Soin

8 March 1954
IHF XI 8–1 Malayan Indians
Rajgopal   17'
Bal. Singh Sr.   22'?'?'
Malhotra   23'?'
Susainathan   28'63'
Report J. Vohra   39'
Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 2,000
Umpires:
G. A. Tessensohn (SIN)
M. Muthucumaru

10 March 1954
IHF XI 11–0 Johore
Gentle   6'36'41'
Lal   13'?'51'28'
Bhola   20'
Susainathan   32'50'
Malhotra   55'
Report
Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
Attendance: 1,500
Umpires:
J. C. Smith
F. A. Milne
  • Match was stopped after 25 and 65 minutes of play respectively due to rain.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Indians succeed in their mission". The Straits Times. 11 March 1954. p. 14. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  2. ^ "INDIAN VISIT MORE BENEFICIAL". The Straits Times. 5 November 1949. p. 12. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  3. ^ "MHC ask for visit from Indian team". The Straits Times. 18 November 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Indians are coming". The Singapore Free Press. 5 September 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b "India's team for Malaya named". The Singapore Free Press. 31 October 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  6. ^ "IHF captain promises 'excellent hockey'". The Straits Times. 10 February 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  7. ^ "INDIAN HOCKEY FED. TEAM ARRIVE TUESDAY". The Straits Times. 3 February 1954. p. 13. Retrieved 20 May 2022.