New Indian Express: Arjuna motivation as Hockey player Sunil looks to World League Final

By TN Vimal Sankar

CHENNAI: If you take a look at the 35-member core team for the national camp ahead of the Asia Cup in October, one can understand that Indian men’s hockey team is in transition. As many as 13 from the Junior World Cup-wining squad have got an opportunity. Earlier this month, a five-match Europe tour saw six make debut. However, the squad still has some experienced and familiar names. One among them is SV Sunil.

The forward has been trying to recover from a wrist fracture suffered in Rio 2016. Then, he featured in a disappointing Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where India bagged bronze, and also played in the World League Semifinals. But the 28-year-old failed to make an impact. The forward had something to be happy about as he received the Arjuna award on Tuesday.

“I expected the award. I’ve been playing for the national team for the 10 years and I deserve it. I’m thankful to HI, my teammates and the support staff for considering me for this award. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”

The trend of adding young blood to the squad is not encouraging for someone looking to get back to his best. But with Asia Cup, World League Final, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Cup lined up before 2019, the forward feels it is motivating him to do more. “Without competition, there is no fun. Whoever performs deserves to play, whether junior or experienced. My primary target is the World League Final. Tournaments are here we need to make a statement considering our inconsistent performances,” he said.

At the peak of your career, injuries can be stressful. With a few years of playing days left, athletes might be under pressure to delver. The tension is bound to double if the entire team is going through a change. The current situation has brought uncertainty to the squad and the future of coach Roelant Oltmans. But external factors are not bothering Sunil. “Recovery took time and I wasn’t able to play well. It got to my mind, I wasn’t concentrating. But the team and authorities kept faith in me and I won’t disappoint them,” he concluded.