With the sad demise of Mohammad Shahid, Indian hockey has lost one of its finest gems. Shahid was one of the greatest hockey players the country has ever seen and his contribution to the forward line in international matches was immense. He was one of the rarest players who possessed superb dribbling skills without compromising on speed. This was a rare combination. He was one of the greatest player and greatest attackers in combination with Zafar Iqbal. His superior skills with the hockey stick were spoken of in the same breath as those of the legendary Dhyan Chand. Shahid’s dribbling; dodging and ball control skills were absolutely top class and exuded graceful elegance. Those were the days when Indian supremacy in hockey was a well-known fact and legends like Dhyan Chand were household names. Shahid was not only a great player but an amazing human being as well. It’s irreparable loss to the sports of Hockey. He was certainly one of the greatest players of his generation and India’s gift to the world of hockey, epitomizing the artistry of the sub-continent’s style of play. We salute Shahid’s contribution to our national sport.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
