Defender, drag-flicker, leader: Harmanpreet inhabits the best of all worlds Premium

The Indian hockey captain has grown into a talismanic figure. He marshals the last line, scores from penalty-corners and exerts a calming influence in even the most tense of situations

Nine years ago he first stepped into the spotlight — and hasn’t left it ever since. As a defender, drag-flicker and leader, from junior ranks to senior, Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has walked into every role assigned to him with quiet confidence and made it his own.

Still just 27, Harmanpreet has been an integral part of the Indian team ever since he announced his arrival as the top-scorer at the Under-21 Sultan of Johor Cup in 2014. His elevation to senior-team captaincy in early 2022 was merely the logical culmination of a process set in motion almost a decade ago.

As a player, he is both talisman and match-winner — the drag-flicker has been a reliable goal machine, the disappointing blip during the 2023 World Cup notwithstanding. As the vital last line of defence, he understands the importance of his role. Adept at stealing the ball cleanly thanks to his keen awareness of position and opposition, he hardly ever pushes or plays rough, rarely getting involved in physical tussles despite his immense strength.

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The one standout quality, as player and person, is his calmness. He defies almost every stereotype associated with players from Punjab — he isn’t a flashy forward or overtly aggressive, he is soft-spoken to the point of being barely audible and is fantastically disciplined.

“Harmanpreet brings a lot of experience and composure, he’s not a guy who needs to shout if things are not going well; he’s in fact just the opposite. He’s quite quiet in the eye of the storm, which is good and we need that — in his leadership as well as the position he plays. He also plays a lot of minutes and is really important for us,” India coach Craig Fulton says.

It’s a recurring motif. As an 18-year-old kid from Amritsar, his international breakout performance came at Johor. He had made the cut for the national camp as the second-highest goal-scorer at the Junior National Championships. Even back then, his discipline stood out — he did not attract a single warning in that tournament. “I have always been told that a calm mind wins more matches than a fiery temper. Aggression must ensure victory, not a penalty,” he had told this correspondent at that time, displaying maturity beyond his years.