India have now lost FIH Pro League games in a row after a 3-2 loss to Australia in Antwerp on Saturday. Once again, as was the pattern in two games each against Argentina and the Netherlands, India conceded a winner late in the game. This time, it was Tom Craig who broke Indian hearts, with a goal 43 seconds before the final hooter.

India were 2-0 up midway through the third quarter, with both goals coming through fabulous finishes from Abhishek. The first came very early in the first half, when Manpreet Singh fizzed a pass into Abhishek on the edge of the circle, and he took it on the half turn, before placing a low shot past Jed Snowden in the Australian goal.

India did come under pressure from the Aussies in the first half, but Suraj Karkera was excellent in goal, making good saves from Jeremy Hayward and Tim Brand in the first half.

India once again got a goal early in the quarter in the third, as Sukhjeet won the ball from Nathan Czinner high up the pitch, and then slipped it through to Abhishek, whose fierce reverse hit was too hot to handle for the other Australian goalkeeper Ashleigh Thomas.

From then on, India were non-existent as an attacking entity. Australia got one goal back before the end of the third quarter, as a goalmouth scramble ended with Nathan Ephraums lobbing the ball into an empty net.

In the fourth quarter, with five minutes to go in the game, Joel Rintala leveled up proceedings with a fierce dragflick that left Karkera with no chance. Then, in the last minute of the game, another penalty corner proved to be India’s undoing, as Hayward’s low dragflick was diverted past Karkera by Craig, as India’s fifth successive loss was confirmed.

You can relive the play-by-play action from the match on our blog, below: