Viren Rasquinha had no plans to go early to bed on the eve of this match day. Rasquinha, who retired from international hockey last month, will be playing his last competitive hockey game tomorrow. Serving notice period with his employers IOC, after he opted to pursue his academic career, he will lead his team out in the PSPB tournament for one final time at the Bombay Hockey Association stadium tomorrow.

And since this happens to be the last competitive game for Indian hockey’s Mr Congeniality, there was a farewell dinner organised for the team at an undisclosed location in Mumbai.

And since four of the players in the IOC team were with Rasquinha in the 2001 Junior World Cup-winning squad, trips down memory lane, sentimental speeches and a ‘he’s a jolly good fellow’ closing act are on the agenda.

“It is going to be a long night and I hope I do not end up crying there or after the match tomorrow,” says Rasquinha.

“After Viren leaves us, there will be a dent in the team that will be difficult fill. It will be tough to find a replacement for him,” says Devesh Chauhan, a 2001 junior World Cupper along with Rajpal Singh, Inderjit Chandda and Deepak Thakur.

“Viren had reached the highest level of hockey, there was nothing left for him to conquer. Now I wish that even in his new career he reaches the same heights,” says Chandda.

That’s the aim as far as Rasquinha is concerned. “Initially I had thought of taking study leave, but I realised it would be hectic, and that I just had to resign,” he says.

... contd.