India's sensational run in men's volleyball came to an end after they were defeated by Japan in the quarter-finals on Sunday at the Asian Games in China's Hangzhou.
Japan won the tie by winning straight three games by 25-16, 25-18 and 25-17 to secure their spot in the semi-finals.
World No. 5 Japan was up next. Japan had sent its second-string team to the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games with its recent Asian Championship-winning squad building up towards the Olympics 2024 qualifiers.
But Japan’s backup men displayed the depth in quality to snuff out the tiny possibility of a shock result with a straight set 25-16, 25-18, 25-17 dismantling of India in the top six clash here at the China Textile Sports City Centre Gymnasium on Sunday.
“This was our chance,” felt setter Appavu Muthusamy. “These three teams we played were all kind of equal [in level].”
The level he is referring to, though, comprises players who have played in the Olympics and play in top club teams. Nine of the 11 players are part of Japan’s premier volleyball league, V League, made up of 10 strong teams. Four of 11 represent the clubs which are ranked among the top 50 clubs in the world.
They are also part of the bronze-winning group at the Volleyball Nations League, having the exposure of playing overseas from June till July. Japan and defending Asian Games gold-medallist Iran are the only two Asian nations to play alongside the world’s elite this year.
For the Indians, their limited opportunities in West Asia have been put on hold since COVID-19 in 2020. The Volleyball Federation of India, which is currently suspended – a second instance in the space of seven years – due to several grievances within the setup, did not recognise the privately-run Prime Volleyball League (PVL), which aims to professionalise the sport and improve the conditions for the players.
This year, the PVL was slated in February-March at the same time as the Senior National Championships, leaving the players to choose between the two competitions.
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