‘Need to bulk up, to become successful’
BharatSundaresan
There was a time when Mumbai hockey churned out international players on a regular basis, many of whom went onto make the country proud. But since goal-keeper Adrian D’Souza made his debut in 2004, the city has failed to relive the glory days of the past, and experienced a kind of vacuum with regards to providing players for the senior Indian team.
That is till 21-year-old Yuvraj Walmiki finally filled up that seven-year-old void by being picked for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy which is scheduled to be held in Ordos, China next month. The scrawny yet prolific striker spoke to Sportsline about his selection, his experience under Indian hockey’s new coach and also about looking forward to his maiden stint with the national team.
Q. So how have your initial few days been with the senior national team?
*It’s the best thing to happen to me ever. Like everyone else, being picked for the Indian team has been my childhood dream. And I desperately wanted to be picked this time, especially after having been a part of India’s developmental team last year. It’s already been an awesome experience rubbing shoulders with these guys. But the important thing for me from hereon is to make the most of this opportunity. Like all my coaches have told me from the beginning, it’s not about reaching the top level, the thing that counts is staying there.
Q. While this is your first-ever stint with Team India, you guys are also working under a new coach in Michael Nobbs. How has your first month under him been?
*This is a new team, and we are all settling in nicely. He has built up a good rapport with every single player. He is someone who has come in with a lot of new ideas and it’s refreshing that way. The man who has made a great difference though is Australian David John, the trainer (or exercise physiologist). He works with each player individually and picks out specific areas where he thinks they should work on, while suggesting how exactly they can improve that aspect of their game. He has also made working on our fitness a fun exercise. I think since David has joined us, our fitness levels collectively have gone up by some 70 per cent easily.
Q. What specific area of your game is he working on?
*Well, he has asked me to work on getting bigger physically. David told me that, if I could add some bulk to my frame, I will be far more successful and it’ll help me cope with the strain of playing at the highest level consistently. Being a striker, it will also provide me some added advantage. David has suggested a brand-new fitness regimen for me, and helps me a lot in the gym.
Q. Now that you have made it to the Indian squad, how confident are you of making it to the final XI on a regular basis?
*I am not thinking about that at the moment. I have got here by giving my best each time a chance came my way. And even if I get only two minutes out there in the middle, I will look to make the most of it. The coach has been very supportive of me, and even my senior teammates have been encouraging me ever since I got here (Bangalore) for the camp.
Q. When did you find out that you had been picked for the Indian team, and were you expecting it to happen this time around?
*It started with a camp, which included 110 of us, and I had been giving my best from the very beginning. We then got short-listed to 48 and then to 30, and eventually the team was picked from that final lot. My funda was simple throughout, starting with the first 45-day camp then this. Give it my best shot, work harder than ever before and try and make an impact everytime I took the field. I also gave it my all in the practice sessions, impressing both the coach Nobbs and David.
There was one incident I remember during one of the practice games, when I was preparing to take a penalty-corner and the coach jovially tried to discourage me from taking it. But I insisted that I will suceed, and I converted two straight penalty-corners. He was really impressed and said that my confidence would take me a long way. That encouragement boosted my self-belief greatly.
Q. How did the family react once they received the news about your selection?
*My mother was over the moon and my younger brother Devendra, who is also a India junior player, too was really happy. He gets excited whenever I do well. And this adds to his motivation to achieve a lot more in his career too. I try to pass on all the information I get during these camps to Devendra, and I hope one day he too makes it to the senior team.
Apart from those two, my coach Bawa (Merzban Patel) was the happiest of the lot, as he has been there for me throughout, and has always wanted me to do well. And Bawa too asks me to help his present lot at the MHA, whenever I am in Mumbai. Dhanraj (Pillay) sir also called me and congratulated me after I was picked. He has always been my role-model, and I have been living my dream of playing with and under him at Air-India over the last five years.
Q. What advice have the senior players been giving you during the camp?
*Well, most of them have only been asking me to put on a few more kilos and get stronger. I have played in the German League for the last two years, and I’m quite aware of the European style of hockey, which is played at a very high level. I don’t think there will be a great difference in standards at the international level.
There are other juniors in the team too, but I am the smallest size-wise and I am looked at as the baby of the team.
Q. You are in a way a replacement for the injured Shivendra Singh. Have you interacted with him after being selected?
*Shivendra and I have played together at Air-India for quite some time now. And he’s been around in Bangalore during the camp. He too has been very supportive of me, and he’s a great guy to have around the team. It’s unfortunate that he’s injured.
Q. How difficult is it for a youngster like you, who’s coming up the ranks, to deal with the chaos that Indian hockey forever seems to be engulfed in?
*Well it’s not easy off the field. On the field, you are only focussing on your game and it really doesn’t matter. But to know that a number of regular players are missing out, and quite a few are divided in opinion about the factions is disturbing when you think about it off the field. I believe the best thing for Indian hockey would be if the team starts winning consistently, and brings home a lot of medals, like they used to.
Q. You are the first player from Mumbai to make it to the national team after Adrian D’Souza. How special is that achivement for you?
*It is indeed a very big moment for me, and also for the city. Bawa keeps telling me how there haven’t been too many from Mumbai making it to the big stage, and I hope many more follow me now.
Alden D’Souza, Devendra and I have made it to the junior team over the last few years. But like Bawa said, Mumbai hockey required someone to rise up after Viren (Rasquinha) and Adrian. So Jai Maharashtra, and I hope I bring glory for the country.