New Delhi: Hardik Singh exhibited a spark of enthusiasm as he spoke about the revival of the Hockey India League (HIL) during a video call from Rotterdam. The franchise-based tournament, set to commence on December 28, represents a significant return for the vice-captain of the Indian team on multiple levels.

At 26 years of age, Hardik is poised to return to competitive play following a shoulder injury sustained during the bronze medal playoff against Spain at the Paris Olympics.

Having been sidelined for nearly four months due to an acromioclavicular joint tear in his left shoulder, Hardik is currently in the Netherlands, where he is leading a predominantly under-25 Indian squad in a series of friendly matches.

“I am 90% fit. Experiencing an injury and being away from the team can diminish one’s confidence. It is essential to rebuild that confidence. This tour holds significant importance for me. While I have participated in training matches, these games resemble international competitions, providing insight into my current performance level. I also need to regain my confidence before the HIL,” stated the 2023 FIH Player of the Year.

Hardik also reflected on his past, reminiscing about his time as a ball boy, where he had the opportunity to observe esteemed players such as former Indian captain Sardar Singh and Australian legend Mark Knowles from the sidelines.

“I recall it vividly. It was in 2014, in Mohali, when I served as a ball boy for the HIL. Three years later, when I participated in the HIL, it was a monumental moment for me. I shared the dressing room with icons like Knowles and Sardar Paji. I was fortunate to have a legendary coach in Barry Dancer,” remarked the midfielder, who will captain UP Rudras in the upcoming edition of the HIL later this month.

“I gained invaluable knowledge about international hockey from these legends even before I played my first international match, whether it was regarding tactics, strategy, or effective communication.”

During that period, Australia was the preeminent force in world hockey, having secured consecutive World Cup victories in 2010 and 2014. Hardik’s team in 2017, the Jaypee Punjab Warriors, was comprised largely of Australian players, including notable figures such as Knowles, Chris Ciriello, and Simon Orchard.

Now a double Olympic bronze medallist, Hardik observed that the Australian players were engaging in practices similar to those of the Indian team within the dressing room. He recognized that it was the finer details that distinguished them and subsequently incorporated these elements into his own game.

“On the field, they placed significant emphasis on the details, far more than we did, particularly regarding tactics and mindset. Additionally, when we discussed facing Australia in the past, we often felt daunted by the prospect of competing against them,” stated Hardik, who has earned 142 international caps.

“Sharing the dressing room made it clear that they are human beings too. Our group greatly benefited from competing against them; this experience contributed to our victory in the 2016 Junior World Cup. The players had previously shared the dressing room in the HIL with the Australians, which instilled confidence in them, allowing them to overcome the previous mindset of facing such formidable opponents.”

The HIL will also witness the skilled midfielder collaborating with UP Rudras' technical director, Cedric D’Souza, a former coach of the Indian national team who had also mentored Hardik’s father, Varinderpreet Singh Rai, during the early 1990s at the national camp. Although Rai did not play for India, D’Souza and Hardik discussed this connection after UP Rudras acquired him for ₹70 lakh, making him the third most expensive player in the HIL auction.

“During the 2023 World Cup, he expressed his eagerness to coach me. I conveyed that it would be an honour, given that he was also my father’s coach. This is particularly significant for me as it pertains to my family’s legacy,” Hardik remarked, coming from a lineage of hockey players.

Hardik’s grandfather, Preetam Singh Rai, served as a hockey coach with the Indian Navy, while his uncle, Jugraj Singh, was a prominent drag-flicker for India. His aunt, Rajbir Kaur, was part of the victorious women’s team at the 1982 Asian Games, and her husband, Gurmail Singh, was a member of the successful 1980 Moscow Olympics team.

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