Forward Arshdeep Singh, dragflick specialist Amandeep Lakra and goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh.
Aged 20, 22 and 20 respectively, they have been the finds of the Hockey India League this season. All three play for the Hyderabad Toofans, the best team in the tournament.
Normally, Arshdeep, Amandeep and Bikramjit would've played in an intense, high quality match only when they might have been called up for the India national team. But now, they have the experience of delivering exceptional performances in an intense semifinal. All three played a pivotal part in Toofans' 3-1 win over JSW Soorma Hockey Club to make it to the final on Saturday.
Just watch the match's first goal. In the 25th minute of the game, Arshdeep weaved into the circle like the good old Indians attackers of the past. The ball stuck to his stick, which eventually resulted in a penalty corner. Amandeep stepped up, on his second chance in the same penalty corner play, he delivered the payload. There was no chance of intercepting the missile. Vincent Vanasch, arguably the best goalkeeper in the business, could only see the ball hit the side net.
That was Amandeep's fourth goal of the tournament, all penalty corners. He did it in front of the India captain, who was playing as his opponent. Harmanpreet Singh and his Soorma lost the match but seeing the goal would've made him proud.
Amandeep Lakra converts from a penalty corner to hand the all-important lead to @HToofans!
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Although disappointed, Harmanpreet still had words of praise for what he saw on the pitch. "Their PC defence was good, and Bikramjit made many good saves. There is Jugraj Singh also for the Tigers, and, Amandeep and Arshdeep for Toofans. Acchi baat hai bhai (It's good.) I hope they continue this. I feel proud as the Indian captain. This is a competition, of course, but it seriously feels good to see the youngsters perform so well."
Toofans scored two more goals thanks to Jacob Anderson and Nilakanta Sharma to secure the win before Jeremy Hayward's last minute penalty conversion for Soorma. While the goals did secure the win, the important thing was the goals saved and for that, Toofans have to thank the incredible Bikramjit. The Indian goalkeeper had all the answers to Harmanpreet and Hayward's dragflicks. Soorma won as many as 15 penalty corners, but they could only convert from the very last one on the very last second.
They are up against the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers who have finished on the top of the table, beat the aggressive and in fact better team Tamil Nadu Dragons in the semifinal. They may not be the most eye-pleasing when it comes to playing style but like the serial winners do, they rise to the occasion and find a way.
When asked about Tigers, Toofans coach Pasha Gademan said, "I think we are the team who can play the most complete hockey. And I think they are the team who knows best. They're a little bit more limited, but they know very well what they can do."
Against the Dragons, Tigers went behind twice, didn't create many chances but still scored two goals thanks to Pardeep Singh Sandhu and Sam Lane. The Dragons were even successful in stopping their penalty corner chances from Jugraj Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh, which was basically their main strength. The big moment of the match came in the third quarter when Sebastien Dockier was sent out for 10 minutes after a dangerous foul on Tom Craig. Bengal were trailing 2-1 and one more goal would've been more or less the end of final hope.
This was where Colin Batch's practical gameplan worked. Playing with nine men, they packed the defence. Those 10 minutes, their defence didn't commit a single error, didn't allow their opponents to create a single good chance. No players lost their concentration and eventually, they survived. In the fourth quarter, Lane scored the equaliser to make it 2-2 and then after a long shootout, Bengal Tigers prevailed to have a shot at the title.
And what a tantalizing final awaits on Saturday, between the best team in the tournament against the table toppers.