A CUP FULL OF HOPE

India will look to build on its bronze-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympics, but it will not be an easy task

- NEERU BHATIA

THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY Federation describes him thus: “Harmanpreet Singh is a bona fide modern-day superstar. He is a terrific defender with a knack for being at the right place at the right time to break down the opponent’s offence.... And he scores goals, goals and more goals! To add to that impressive resume, he has now been voted the FIH Player of the Year for the second year running.”

Indeed he has. Albeit not as flamboyant as some of his predecessors, on or off the field, the captain has scored the most goals for India in the past two years or so, including at the Tokyo Olympics (six), and leads a team on the upswing into the World Cup starting January 13.

Having won an Olympic medal (bronze) after 41 long years in Tokyo, the team is up for an arguably sterner test. India last won a World Cup in 1975. The world of hockey has expanded and gotten more competitive since. “There is no pressure as such, but it is our responsibility,” the soft-spoken 27-year-old told THE WEEK. “Everyone knows we have done well at the Olympics, and that we can do the same in any major tournament. The boys are confident that we have worked hard. The World Cup is at home (Bhubaneswar and Rourkela), and this is a good chance to capitalise on that. We do not know when next we will play in front of home crowds. This is the time to create history.”