Making the transition from the junior level to the senior team has been quite challenging but a hugely rewarding experience.
The best thing that can happen to a young Indian hockey player is to play for the national team. When I got the call for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup a few months back, it was the proudest moment of my life. At that time, I had little inkling that within a short span of time I would be a Champions Trophy silver medal list and would have the honour of getting the ‘Best Young Player’ award in the tournament.
As proud as it was at the individual level, the silver medal in the Champions Trophy is truly a big deal. The award would have meant a lot more if we had managed to win the gold medal, but it seems circumstances conspired against Team India in the finals. We took the game to the Aussies, but they managed to hold on in spite of us putting them under immense pressure.
It was the first time that I was involved in a penalty shootout at the senior level. I practised taking penalty corners in the preparatory camps regularly. So, when coach Roelant Oltmans said I would be taking one in the final shootout, I readily agreed. There was no point in putting too much thought into it. I had been involved in shoot outs at the junior level. Perhaps that’s why I never really felt the pressure. In hindsight, it all seems good because I converted. If I hadn’t, maybe I would have given my strategy of remaining calm and cool under pressure a second thought.
Denne historien er fra August 2016-utgaven av Sports Illustrated India.
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Denne historien er fra August 2016-utgaven av Sports Illustrated India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Hockey World Cup- India Gears Up For Glory
Hosts India will have to play out of their skins to win their second Hockey Men’s World Cup title.
The Drive For Consistency
Find something you love doing and use that to fall in love with your body, so you can embrace change and sustain a pattern that lets you unlock the best version of yourself
The Phenomenon
Kevin Pietersen may have retired from playing, but he will remain a part of the game and Test cricket folklore for a long time
Powering The Action
The IPL is intense. Players let off the fireworks on the pitch, but it is the coaches and support staff that light the fuses. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED traces the evolution of this critical aspect of the game, and why Indians still need to make a mark
A Steep Learning Curve
Making the transition from the junior level to the senior team has been quite challenging but a hugely rewarding experience.
Scorecard - Don't Blame It on Rio
Apathy towards the Olympics could cast golf in a negative light and jeo paradise its standing with the IOC for the 2024 Games and beyond.
Bench Strength
With the Likes of Nair, Yadav, Jadhav and Chahal Performing With Maturity Over the Past Year, Team India’s Bench Strength Looks Strong Ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Sir Roger Bannister (1929-2018)
A legend in his own time, Sir Roger was most proud of his neurology research but his historic sub-four mile run in 1954 is still regarded as one of his best breakthroughs
Battle Ready
A star-studded Indian contingent seeks to reshape its approach with rising talent, even as seasoned warriors in badminton, weight-lifting, shooting and wrestling aim for gold
Safe Passage
The Dustup That Marred the Return of Chris Paul to L.a. Has Faded. As the Point God Settles Into a New Home, He Has a New Running Buddy and a Group of Teammates Who Feel Like a Family
