New-look hockey team relishing future challenges

Confident of a winning start to a hectic year at FIH Pro League next month

With quite a few seniors calling time on their international careers, a sobering third-place finish at the Asian Champions Trophy last month was a well-timed lesson for the Indian men’s hockey team. Both the players and the management are now hoping to start a hectic 2022 on a winning note when they step out for their opening Pro League games against South Africa and France in Potchefstroom in February and maintain the momentum through the year.

“It is never easy being the coach and have legends leave the group and make decisions that are required. My effort has been to build a deeper squad and give as many opportunities as possible to as many players and that was also part of the strength of this group before Tokyo,” chief coach Graham Reid admitted in an interaction with select media on Friday. “As you lose players, you bring the new ones in as quickly as you can and give them enough experience by the time of bigger events like the Asiad.”

The squad features two debutants and Reid sounded impressed by them. “Jugraj Singh is very quick in drag-flick and if we can get some of his speed and make it a little more consistent it would be exciting. But he is also very versatile in the midfield and defence. Abhishek is an all-out striker who loves to score and even in the camp he was quite prolific, so good to have new influx in the group,” the coach explained.