Text by Ashok Kumar, courtesy Inside Hockey magazine
he very mention of his name
would draw crowds to a stadium. I met him for the first time in Lucknow, and the moment I
saw him on the turf, I knew he had the qualities of being a classy player.
Shahid, going through the opposition defence, was like seeing a snake move with the ball. In the 1979 Aga Khan Cup, he played for Lucknow Sports Hostel, and then was picked for the Indian team to Kuala Lumpur. From then he went from strength to strength. He played in 3 Olympic Games - 1980 (gold medal), 1984 and 1988.
The fans came to watch him and that was the biggest honour for him. People come to watch such classy players, not just hit and run hockey. I have always believed that we can beat the Europeans by skill and not by strength. Field goals are our forte, while Europeans have the penalty corner expertise.
One thing I will always remember about his play was his fast push, which was almost as powerful as a hit. It is thanks to players like Mohammed Shahid that hockey is still a popular game.
Photo Courtesy : Wills Book of Excellence - Hockey