Indian hockey’s ‘Wall’ Dilip Tirkey, is on a glorious phase. He is a match away from reaching the greatest personal milestone of 400.

400 international matches for India. Incredible achievement by any standard.

It is a tribute to Orissa’s homegrown talent to have endured so far in an otherwise uncharitable territory called Indian hockey, known for its callousness with which players are often discarded at a drop of hat.

Only one player in the world, Joren Delmee of The Netherlands has a match more on his kitty than our tribal star.

At 401, the just retired Joren, former Dutch captain, is the most capped field hockey player in the world.

When Dilip Plays his second match in Ipoh at the 28th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, he will have equalled Joren’s record.

It’s time for every Indian to stand and applaud one of the greatest hockey players the country has ever produced.

Well wishes for Dilip Tirkey.