HIL experience helped us play better at the Junior World Cup: Gurjant Singh

NEW DELHI: India men’s junior hockey team capped off what was a fantastic 2016 for Indian hockey with a world cup triumph in December beating Belgium 2-1. Going in to the tournament, India were not the outright favourites but they played an attacking brand of hockey that had the much fancied teams like Spain, Australia and Belgium reeling.

At the forefront of the India’s successful journey was the big match player Gurjant Singh who scored the first goal of the final against Belgium to hand India the lead in the summit clash in the eight minute with the goal of the tournament. He also scored an important goal during the semi-final against Australia. Talking exclusively to TOI Sports, Gurjant opens up about the team’s successful journey, his wonder goal and plans for 2017.

How do you feel winning the Junior World Cup, a feat that was last achieved by India way back in 2001?

The feeling was that of our target being achieved. We were training for over two years for this and when we finally achieved it there was no better feeling than that. We got a result like this after a long time, we are very happy. We played our natural game and we won with that. Our senior team did well in 2016, they got a medal in Champions Trophy so the year was good for Indian hockey, and to cap it off like this was just perfect.

There were no goals from you in the league matches. Did you feel any pressure going in to the knockouts?

In league matches and the quarter-final, I didn’t get any goals but I had a feeling that my first goal would be in an important match and even our coach told me the same and that exactly happened. We were trailing 0-1 against Australia and I scored the equaliser. It was draw and we went on to win on penalties. And in the final, we took the lead at the start and that boosted our team’s confidence and after that we played really well to win the final.
People were saying lot of things, like I am not getting the goals but I was unfazed because my team was winning. Anyone can score but the team should win, and the team was winning so there was no pressure on me as such. And it really doesn’t matter to me that I am playing a semi-final or final, every match is important for the team and I don’t take any pressure. We train each day and train for these big matches.

Your goal against Belgium in the final was something special. You first controlled the long ball and then got the reverse flick to perfection from an acute angle. Tell us more about that goal.

That goal was not by chance, I can tell you that. I had trained for it. Backhand shot was something that I practiced a lot. I was not good at it earlier but I put in a lot of hard work, and that has now become my shot. During the last league match (against South Africa) I got a reverse flick right and created a pass for our first goal in the match. Even in the quarters, I had couple backhand passes.

And in the final I was telling the guys that just give me the ball I will score. I didn’t think I will get a chance to score like that but I did and scored.

You have been playing with Harjeet Singh, your skipper at the World Cup, from the age group level. How has he been as a captain of this team?

Everybody in the team understands their responsibilities and Harjeet as captain managed that really well. He was there in the camp for the Olympics with the senior team so whatever he observed there, learned there, he discussed with us and his bonding with each and every one of us is very good, same is the case with our coach Harendra Singh as well.

So what all has changed for you after this World Cup triumph?

After the tournament win, we are getting noticed a lot. Hockey is getting a deserved attention, and that is what we want. Wherever we go, people recognise us. We are attending more felicitation functions.
After a stellar year what are your plans for next year? Will this momentum help you in Hockey India League while representing Dabang Mumbai?

Last year when I played for Dabang Mumbai we had the confidence of playing in front of such a good crowd as a unit. It was a fantastic experience for me and it also helped other players who were part of the league and I am sure that experience helped us perform better at the World Cup.

We as junior players featuring in the league really boosted our confidence. As you could see, the teams that we beat were good teams and no one really thought that we could beat them but we did and that had to do with the experience we gained while paying the league, with and against international players.

What are your personal goals for the upcoming HIL?

I know that we will put in a better performance than last year, we played really good last year but the results didn’t come our way. I will carry this momentum forward to the league and try to do better.