Harmanpreet: Defender, drag-flicker, skipper

The sound of Harmanpreet Singh’s potent drag-flick hammering the board of the purpose in India’s final observe session forward of the World Cup opener towards Spain right here on Friday had a reassuring and really acquainted thud to it.

As Harmanpreet was coaching, different penalty nook (PC) specialists Amit Rohidas, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Varun Kumar and Jugraj Singh joined in. However from the physique language, directions and high quality of flicks it was clear who the No 1 PC specialist is within the Indian dressing room.

Not to mention drag-flicking, Harmanpreet didn’t even play or watch hockey until he was 12 – an age by when most hockey gamers are already on the gates of the sub-junior setup. With no hockey background in his household, the India skipper by no means received uncovered to the sport. However the defender was all the time focused on sports activities, taking part in soccer, volleyball and collaborating in a number of disciplines of athletic occasions at St. Soldier Elite Convent Faculty in Jandiala Guru, his hometown in Punjab.

“My begin in hockey was very shocking. Since I used to be athletic and all the time focused on sports activities, me and my mates determined to go to a neighborhood academy throughout holidays to select up a sure sport. The one coach we discovered there was a hockey coach who requested us to attempt it. That’s how this stunning journey in hockey began,” mentioned Harmanpreet, who turned 27 final week.

After gaining an curiosity and realising he can excel within the sport, Harmanpreet shifted base to Malwa Hockey Academy in Ludhiana from 2008 to 2010 earlier than becoming a member of the well-known Surjit Singh Academy in Jalandhar which has produced a number of India gamers.

Although initially he needed to be a ahead, the then teenaged Harmanpreet rapidly settled into his function as a defender, impressing every one along with his expertise. In his first-ever Junior Nationals, Harmanpreet was adjudged Participant of the Match which catapulted him into the junior nationwide setup. It solely took him just a few months earlier than he made his junior India debut on the 2011 Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, netting 9 targets and thereby was adjudged Participant of the Match.

Harmanpreet continued taking part in for the junior facet throughout which he guided India to the 2014 Sultan of Johor Cup title the place he was the highest goal-scorer. A 12 months later, Harmanpreet’s 14 targets – highest of the match once more – helped India win the Junior Asia Cup. Such spectacular performances made the then India coach Paul van Ass name up the 19-year-old for his India debut in a 4 Check sequence towards Japan in 2015.

Though he had repeatedly began taking part in for the senior Indian staff, Harmanpreet actually got here to the limelight when India gained the 2016 Junior World Cup in Lucknow – his final occasion within the juniors, that additionally helped him cement his place within the senior staff.

The drag-flick

After being a part of the senior Indian staff for near eight years, Harmanpreet has developed because the spine of Indian defence. The 2016 Champions Trophy silver, 2017 Asia Cup gold, 2018 Asian Video games bronze, 2018 Champions Trophy silver, 2018 Asian Champions Trophy gold, 2020 Olympic bronze – these medals wouldn’t have come had it not been for Harmanpreet and Co halting the cost of opposition strikers.

However together with the defence, Harmanpreet has additionally nurtured his particular expertise of being a PC specialist. Although he would drag-flick every now and then in Ludhiana, the two-time FIH Participant of the 12 months began studying the artwork correctly on the Surjit Singh Academy.

“I used to look at my seniors observe the drag-flick. They solely requested me to offer it a attempt. That’s once I began to study. My seniors helped me so much. Then through the Hockey India League (HIL) I used to look at different high gamers, study from them and get motivation that I may additionally do it. I then began giving it much more consideration,” mentioned Harmanpreet, who will likely be India’s trump card on the World Cup.

From then to now, Harmanpreet has developed as not simply India’s main drag-flicker however as probably the greatest on this planet, repeatedly being adjudged because the top-scorer or greatest participant in tournaments. “He is likely one of the greatest for the time being. He’s actually good and highly effective. No surprise he’s main India. He all the time ensures that he scores within the huge tournaments,” mentioned the nice Gonzalo Peillat, who was the top-scorer at each the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics.

However not like the Tokyo Olympics the place Harmanpreet had the help of the skilled Rupinder Pal Singh, who retired with the bronze, in Odisha the opposite PC specialists should decide up their stage to match Harmanpreet. There’s a seen hole between him and the opposite Indian sparkles.

“Harmanpreet is superb and completely different from the others. The explanation he’s completely different is as a result of he is superb at manipulating the goalkeeper and first runner,” mentioned legendary drag-flicker Bram Lomans, who gained two Olympic gold medals with Netherlands in 1996 and 2000 and in addition the 1998 World Cup.

However Harmanpreet isn’t frightened and utterly backed his staff. “The temper, ambiance is nice within the staff. Should you have a look at the Professional League, we have now carried out fairly nicely the place we learnt just a few issues. We learnt that if we rating, our first accountability is to defend. If we have not scored, then our job is to not concede,” mentioned the defender. “We’ve got learnt a number of good issues. Most significantly our confidence is excessive.”

Earlier, the 27-year-old needed to stability the obligations of defending and as a PC specialist. However late final 12 months Harmanpreet was additionally named because the skipper of the staff. Is he burdened with three completely different roles?

“The state of affairs in hockey is just not the identical each time. As a participant what your obligations are with out the ball. Should you’re a free man, then your communication ought to be good; you’ve to information gamers from behind. And similar with the ball; how you can use our midfielders if they’re overlapping, when to play lengthy balls or overhead. From the beginning we have been doing the identical issues. So, we all know our obligations,” mentioned the India captain, who has performed 164 internationals.

“As captain, if a participant is down or making errors it’s pure to really feel low. Then we have now to verify we preserve our head down, that not simply me however everybody stands with that participant, that it’s okay (to commit an error). Simply deal with the subsequent job relatively than maintain on to that factor. The staff ambiance is such that everybody pushes one another,” he mentioned.

When off the sector, Harmanpreet is kind of the household man. Each time he returns to Jandiala Guru, the drag-flicker likes to spend time along with his two-year-old nephew Harkamal and one-year-old canine, a Labrador named Simba.

“Simba and Harkamal are the naughtiest and noisiest in the home which is why it’s enjoyable spending time with them. I get much less time at house however no matter time I get, I wish to utilise it nicely,” mentioned Harmanpreet, who tied the knot final 12 months. “I love to do the identical issues which I used to do earlier like driving to the hills with mates or household.”