FIH recognition for Tirkey’s world mark

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FIH recognition for Tirkey’s world mark

Harpreet Kaur Lamba

New Delhi April 11: Even as Indian hockey was going through a turbulent time in the last decade, one man standing like a rock in the storm was Dilip Tirkey.

Known as ‘The Wall’ for his uncanny ability to thwart the best of attackers, the 29-year old recently achieved a feat only matched by Sachin Tendulkar in cricket.

Tirkey surpassed Holland’s Jerome Delmee’s record of 401 international caps to become world’s most capped player, and has now appeared in 404 matches.

Playing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, where India reached the finals on Saturday, the former India skipper wants to celebrate his record with a title win.

Said Tirkey from Ipoh, “I am extremely pleased. There was a lot of confusion regarding the total number of matches I had played and I am glad that the world body has made if official now.

“Hockey is very close to my heart and I dedicate each and every win that I have achieved in the last 14 years to this game. I want to celebrate with a win against Malaysia on Sunday. It will be truly special,” said Tirkey, who is only the second adivasi player after Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh to have led the team.

Rated amongst the world’s top defenders, the stalwart hasn’t missed a single match in the last decade. A record of sorts, it speaks volumes about Tirkey’s mental and physical abilities.

Said Tirkey, “It feels sad when even after all these years people say that I should quit. I try and focus on my fitness, because a good performance is my only defence… my only answer.”

The Sundergarh player though had to wait for his world record that went virtually unnoticed due to unavailability of the statistics. While statisticians in India were divided over the total number of matches he had played, the International Hockey Federation never kept track of the numbers.

The world body though finally cleared the air on Friday. FIH communications manager Arjen Meijer told this paper from Lausanne, “The FIH is pleased to announce that India’s Dilip Tirkey is the world’s most capped player. He broke Jerome Delmee’s record during the Azlan Shah tournament in Ipoh, this week.”

Said Junior India coach A.K. Bansal, who trained Tirkey during his early days, “Dilip’s achievement is a great boost for Indian hockey. Had a similar feat happened in cricket, the press would have highlighted it for days. It is a pity that a player of his stature was kept waiting for so long.”

Bansal added, “I haven’t seen a more dedicated player. He has achieved so much today and yet he is still the same quiet boy. He is a great ambassador of the sport.”

The Asian Age