Even those who do not really follow the game of hockey know that one of the big reasons for India’s dipping standards in the game is the lack of ‘astroturfs’ in India — the reason that has been banded out after every major defeat.

In the aftermath of India’s humiliating failure to make the 2008 Oympics in Beijing, several experts have been harping on the fact that the country does not have even a fraction of the number of artificial surfaces top European hockey nations like Germany and Holland possess. The Dutch association has kept a target of having as many as 1,000 synthetic surfaces by the end of 2008. India, in contrast, has 24.

The reason for that has always been the cost — laying down an astroturf costs more than Rs 2 crore each. But while smattering the country with expensive surfaces is almost out of the question there are cheaper solutions at hand.

Cheaper solution

Deepak Khanolkar, a consultant in cost localisation of artificial turfs, who has been in the profession for the last 18 years says that if we are looking towards Europe for inspiration, why not make Norway or France our ideals?

These two countries have basic quality turfs that range from Rs 50 to 70 lakh. “We don’t need FIH certification for basic-level turfs. France has a number of sand turfs (that use sand instead of water), which university students use to hone their skills. There is only 40 per cent difference when a player shifts from basic to super turf,” he points out.

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