New Indian Express: HIL-side view of Indian hockey

By Swaroop Swaminathan

CHENNAI: Around the beginning of the 2016 edition of the Hockey India League (HIL), one of the narratives revolved around the absence of players from certain countries. With the Olympics around the corner, the explanation was simple — they couldn’t suffer burnout or run the risk of injuries.

In 2017, the inverse seems to be true. Given the World Cup (to be staged in Bhubaneswar next year) is around the corner, more foreign players have signed up, hoping to get used to the conditions.

Seven who played in the Olympic final between Belgium and Argentina will be in one franchise or another. The other interesting narrative with respect to the competition this year is to see how the juniors — especially the ones who led the country to glory last year — play for their teams.

Like Roelant Oltmans told Express during the Junior World Cup, many of the Indian players were already playing for HIL sides. While that spoke about their potential, many weren’t getting the minutes. Just a few seconds here and there when the match was won or when it was beyond redemption.

It could be different this year. What Delhi Waveriders decide to do with five of them — Harjeet Singh, Vikas Dahiya, Santa Singh, Mandeep Singh and Parvinder Singh — is a case in point. Skipper and a mainstay in the Indian line-up, Rupinderpal Singh offers a few clues.

“The team is upbeat and we are looking forward to a challenging season,” he says. “That we have a great mix of juniors in the team along with experience is a big plus.” That means more minutes are in store for the teens. Given the 26-year-old has been a captain of the national team, there cannot be many better places to learn and grow if you are a teenager trying to make an impression.

It’s obvious that people from afar have been watching how the Indian team has developed over the last couple of years (with HIL making a big difference both in terms of providing a livelihood as well as exposure to playing with and against world-class names).

Germany’s Christopher Ruhr, part of the side which won silver at Rio, says India have improved immensely over the last couple of years. “Out of all the nations playing the sport, I think India and Argentina have been the two countries that have developed most in the last few years,” he says. “I like the style India plays and think they will be big contenders for the World Cup.”

One guy who is already looking forward to that event is Sardar Singh, who is facing question marks over his importance in the national side. But he wants to use the next month to put himself front and centre when the camp begins in March.

“I am inspired by players like Jamie Dwyer. So I don’t think age is a concern,” he had said in a pre-tournament press release. The next 30-odd days will provide clues about whether his thinking is misplaced. Also, expect quite a few national bosses to tune in as preparations begin in earnest for Mission 2018.