Chetri prepared to lead Indian Hockey team at London 2012

He was part of the squad that failed to qualify for the 2008 Olympics, hence Bharat Chetri has special motivation to excel at the upcoming London Games.

Chetri has been on the international circuit for a dozen years now. He was in and out of the side a lot and as a result, London will be his first Olympics.

He will also be the first goalkeeper to lead India at the Olympics, an honour that will motivate him even further.

“Being named captain is a big responsibility for me. It adds to my responsibility and I will have to guide the other members of the team,” Chetri, hailing from Darjeeling, told Mail Today.

The son of an armyman, Chetri has shown remarkable resolve in coming back strongly each time.

“Missing out on the Beijing Olympics was the worst experience of my career. But we have qualified this time and want to make up for that miss,” he said.

The 30-year-old is no stranger to pressure situation and is known for being calm and composed when the stakes are high.

His favourite moment so far on the hockey turf has been the 2010 Commonwealth Games semi-final when he excelled during the tie-breaker to see India through.

With two custodians in the Indian squad, Chetri is likely to share his time in goal with PR Sreejesh. The strategy has worked for the team in the past with strategies being formulated keeping in mind the opposition.

Also, it provides a way out in case of illness or injury.

“Sreejesh and me have a healthy competition. We help each other in every way possible.

Our styles are different so it is a useful tactical tool for the team management,” Chetri, who idolises former India goalkeeper Ashish Ballal, said.