New Indian Express: Up Front and Central Akashdeep on Song
By Swaroop Swaminathan, 16th December 2015
CHENNAI: It’s a well known fact that Akashdeep Singh idolises national team skipper Sardar Singh. He has admitted that in the myriad interviews he has given to the media since finally coming into the limelight a few winters ago. Even in those interviews he, without realising, re-emphasises the point. He casually uses the word paaji every other second; much like Sardar.
But Akashdeep was still waiting for his moment and it arrived in fine fashion when he was snapped by UP Wizards for $84,000 in the Hockey India League (HIL) auction in September. He had even left the captain — who was bought by Punjab Warriors for $58,000 — behind. He commanded the highest fee for an Indian player and was placed front and centre for the first time in his life.
Other players may have floundered at the prospect of a media scrum. But he conducted himself rather well and grew into the role as Indian hockey’s newest pin-up boy. To further embellish his credentials, Akashdeep, on Monday, was nominated for one of the big year-end awards (Rising Star of the Year Award) by the FIH. Young stars, he turned 21 only two Wednesdays ago, may have been surprised but not Akashdeep, who doesn’t suffer from false modesty.
“I had a gut feeling that I would get at least a nomination this year for the award,” he tells Express. “And that happened. I’m hoping for the best as far as actually getting the award goes (he will compete against Germany’s Christopher Ruhr, Australia’s Blake Govers, Ireland’s Shane O’Donoghue and Canada’s Sukhi Panesar).”
Most of the senior players did not cover themselves in glory during the group stages of the recently concluded World Hockey League Final in Raipur but Akashdeep was an exception in a misfiring forward line. He scored what turned out to be an equaliser against world champions Germany. The Punjab lad, his accent gives it away rather quickly, was happy with the bronze at the end of the meet but identifies areas of improvement. “On a personal front, I’m happy that we got bronze. There were quite a few takeaways for us as a team. The tournament emphasised the need for us to focus on defence and penalty-corner conversions. We also need to work on increasing our shots on goal.”
Most of that input seems to have come from new strategy coach Roger van Gent. Someone who has helped the team, according to Akashdeep. “In the month that he’s been around, he’s given us a few insights. He’s helped us forwards with our positioning in the D,” he says.
Most of the foreign stars have decided to skip HIL this year so as to preserve their bodies ahead of the Olympics but Akashdeep doesn’t see it that way. “As far as having a hectic schedule before the Olympics is concerned, it’s nothing that we can’t handle. We get more than enough days in between events (20 days after HIL there’s training camp), and we’re well-rested and fit.”
For India’s sake he would have to be that when the Olympics comes around.
Name: Akashdeep Singh
DOB: December 2, 1994
Senior debut: 2013
Represented India at 2014 World Cup in Netherlands
Captained junior national side in 2011
Won gold medal at Asian Games in Incheon in 2014
Won bronze medal in junior Asia Cup held in Malaysia in 2011