Hardik Singh is a tireless runner who has proved his mettle by helping his side dominate the midfield battles.
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Indian Men’s hockey team midfielder Hardik Singh has made the cut for the 16-member squad for Tokyo Games 2020. He is the fifth generation hockey player in the family, with Hardik keen on continuing his family’s legacy. The 22-year-old midfielder has been a regular feature in the team since Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, Bhubaneshwar in 2018. Hardik stated that there is a lot of competition for a place in the midfield, but that only makes team’s bench strength look strong.
“I will give my 100% to carry on with my family’s legacy and make the whole country proud. It now feels great to be a regular part of the Team, well equipped in the midfield. There is a lot of competition for places in the midfield, but that only shows that our bench strength is very strong. We have built that fighting spirit over the past few months, and that is one of the key reasons for our resurgence,” said the young midfielder, who will be making his debut at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as quoted by Hockey India’s official website.
Hardik may have made his mark having been handed regular opportunities, but he admitted that there was a point of time when the player was on the verge of giving up on his dream to ply his trade as a professional in the Dutch League in 2017.
“As a 14-year-old, I moved to Mohali Hockey Academy for further training and quickly rose through the ranks. I also represented India in the Sub-Junior category, however, opportunities at the top level never came my way. In 2017, I was on the verge of giving up my dream of playing for India and almost decided to move to the Netherlands to play club Hockey. But my uncle, Jugraj Singh made me sit and rethink my decision. Jugraj Paaji has been a huge influence in my life. He has mentored me in every part of my life and continues to do so. After his suggestions, I put in more blood, sweat, and hard work. And finally, my hard work paid off as I was included in the core probable for the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy after winning the Player of the Series at a domestic tournament in Mumbai. Then, the 2018 World Cup happened which was like cherry on top,” stated the hockey player.
Hardik believes that his journey has been slightly different from that of his teammates.
“My journey has been slightly different from my teammates. Some may think that I have had an easy ride, but that’s not the case. I come from Khusropur village near Jalandhar in Punjab. I was very lucky to be part of a family where Hockey was in our DNA. I was very fortunate to be around so many hockey players, I always got advice from all corners of the house and my family has had a huge impact on my career. My grandfather used to be a Hockey Coach in the Indian Navy. He was the one who helped me pick up the sport and understand the basics of the game. I started playing on the field almost immediately and enjoyed the practice sessions,” he concluded.
