Dream to debut at 18: Mandeep
Harpreet Kaur Lamba
New Delhi: In his early years at Mithapur, Punjab, Mandeep Singh would often head to the village’s cricket academy. It did not matter if his father had enrolled him at the hockey nursery that also produced former India captain Pargat Singh.
“I wanted to become a cricketer,” recalls Mandeep, with a huge smile. “Every morning, I would leave home with a hockey kit bag and reach the cricket field. My heart was there, until one day my father caught me doing this! “He taught me the importance of hockey and thus I got serious towards it.” At 17, Mandeep is about to make his senior India debut in three days’ time — an opportunity he had thought would have to wait for another two to three years. The recent Hockey India League however, pushed the ever-smiling youngster into the limelight, who scored 10 goals for winners Ranchi Rhinos.
And even as the seniors struggled to make a mark, Mandeep’s goal scoring prowess -added to his exemplary reading of the situation inside the Dee -ensured him a place in the India team for the World League Round 2 here.
“I will be very honest,” says the youngster. “I was not expecting to be picked for the India senior team for another two to three years. To debut at 18 is a dream and I want to ensure it gets off on the right note.”
The last month has indeed been a dream for Mandeep.
From being the baby of the Rhinos’ squad to their go-to man on the field, he reckons it was a huge learning curve.
“I was taken care of by the team in every sense. I had seniors like Morits Fuertse (Germany captain) and Floris Evers (Holland skipper) to guide me on the field. They always backed me and pointed out small details.
“Off the field, I had my best moment when Floris planned a surprise birthday party for me and presented me a wonderful watch. They said I was special for them. I had tears in my eyes as I did not expect so much love and responsibility at the same time,” recalls Mandeep, who joined the national camp here soon after the HIL.
“I haven’t been able to go home, but my mother told me that almost everyone in the village used to get together to see me play during the league.
“Right now, my focus is in the World League and I understand that it will be a very different tournament from the league. People have placed their faith in me and I hope to repay it.”
Asked what he had planned to do with the `20 lakh that he earned for being the upcoming player of the HIL, Mandeep said, “I will let my parents decide on it. They give me my pocket money!”