Hockey Test: Govers' hat-trick beat India 7-4 in the second test match

Hosts Australia beat the Indian hockey team 7-4 in the second Hockey Test on Sunday thanks to a hat-trick from Blake Govers. This is India's second consecutive defeat in the five-match series.

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Although, captain Harmanpreet Singh gave India a 1-0 lead. He converted a penalty corner in the third minute of the match. By the third quarter, the Indian team was trailing 3-4. Poor play in the final quarter resulted in a 4–7 defeat for the team. For India, Harmanpreet scored the third goal in the 60th minute. At the same time, Hardik Singh scored in the 25th and Raheel Mohammed in the 36th minute.

India's slender lead soon dwindled as the Kookaburras, after failing to find the back of the net from four consecutive penalty corners, equalized in the fifth attempt as Blake Govers's searing tomahawk shot on the rebound beat PR Sreejesh.

On the other hand, Blake Govers scored for Australia in the 12th, 27th, and 53rd minutes. While Jack Welch scored in the 17th and 24th minutes, Jacob Anderson in the 48th minute, and Jake Wheaton in the 48th minute.

Australia earned a flurry of penalty corners in the next few minutes. Eventually, India wilted under relentless pressure from Australia as Jack Welch pounced on a rebound to make it 3-1 for the hosts in the 23rd minute. India put pressure on the Australian backline in the final minutes and earned a penalty stroke in the 59th minute after Harmanpreet Singh's drag-flick hit the Australian body on the goal line.

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The Indian captain converted the penalty stroke to make the scoreline more respectable. This is India's 12th consecutive defeat against the number one team Australia. Australia's Jake Harvie got the Player of the Match award.

The first Hockey Test match was lost by the Indian team 4-5. The third Test match will be played on Wednesday. During this, Eddie Ockenden of Australia played his 400th international hockey match. He has become the seventh player in the world to play 400 or more matches.