GLOBAL HOCKEY HERO: BLAIR TARRANT is out to shine for his country New Zealand

New Zealand's field hockey team captain Blair Tarrant

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A sturdy defender who distributes the ball adroitly, 31-year-old Blair Tarrant will lead New Zealand at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, his second after Rio in 2016.

As India takes on New Zealand in the pool, both countries will look up to him for different reasons. Indian forwards on how to tackle him and the New Zealand team on how to control the naturally gifted strikers that India is proud of.

Dunedin-based Tarrant made his international debut in 2010, playing Germany in a four-nations tournament and brings to the fore a wealth of experience gained from 215 international matches.

The 31-year-old’s inspirational captaincy will also count for a lot as New Zealand try to capture the spirit of Montreal 1976 when they won their only Olympic gold medal.

Tarrant picked up a silver medal with the Black Sticks at the 2012-13 Hockey World League in New Delhi and a bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the same city.

Tarrant plies his trade for Hamburger Polo Club in Germany after stints for SCHC and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.