Defenders around the world fear India's counter-attacks: Indian hockey forward Gurjant Singh ahead of CWG
He hails from Punjab, the hockey fortress of India. Yet, his decision to pursue hockey was initially frowned upon by his parents. His uncle, however, had other ideas and groomed the youngster well enough for him to find a place in the Indian Junior Team.
He dazzled for India in the Junior World Cup, scoring in the semi-final and final to guide his team to a historic victory. Lucknow 2016 saw the birth of a bright new star on India's hockey horizon and the skilful forward has never looked back.
He made a place for himself in the senior squad and has proven to be a match-winner. He is one of the very few players from the Azlan Shah squad who have been retained for the Commonwealth Games. He is Gurjant Singh.
Sportskeeda spoke to the talented youngster after a training session in the Bangalore camp which is being held in preparation for the Commonwealth Games next month. Here are excerpts:
SK: How did your parents react when you first conveyed to them your decision to pursue hockey as a career?
Gurjant Singh: No one at home ever played hockey. My uncle and his son did, however, and they were the ones who influenced me to pursue hockey as a career. My parents were reluctant but my uncle was insistent that I be allowed to play hockey. He convinced my parents that he would take me under his wing and thus started my journey in the world of hockey. He is from Batala in Punjab, a village which has a very strong hockey pedigree and has produced a number of hockey players.
SK: You were part of the team that won the Junior Hockey World Cup in Lucknow in 2016. What was the reaction like in your village and what were the celebrations like?
GS: The Junior World Cup was a big event and the jubilation in my village was just as huge. Moreover, I scored in the semi-final and in the final which made the event a lot more special. Previous to that, not many people in my village were aware that I was a hockey player, but after the World Cup all that changed. A lot of people there watched the World Cup and appreciated my performance. Now, most people know me and have also developed an affinity towards hockey.
SK: We spoke to Manpreet Singh earlier, but he wasn't in the team which played the Azlan Shah Cup. You did play in Malaysia and were the star player against the hosts which India won 5-1. India ended fifth but performed creditably. Talk us through how the experience was for Team India.
GS: All the players performed well. We made mistakes, however, and the cards also undid us to an extent. There were a lot of juniors in the team. In fact, there were three who were debutantes (Mandeep Mor, Shilanand Lakra, and Sumit Kumar).
We have to start somewhere and learn from our mistakes. We will do our best not to repeat the same mistakes in the tournaments ahead. The goals we conceded were as a result of silly errors on our part. For the team and for all the individual players it was a positive result and a great experience.
We will be playing the same teams again (in the Commonwealth Games). England, Australia, and Malaysia will be there as well so it was good that we got a measure of them before a big event like the Commonwealth Games.
SK: You combine very well with Akashdeep Singh in the forward-line. SV Sunil is also back in the side. How effective do you feel India's forward-line is currently?
GS: In hockey circles, India's counter attacks are considered the best in the world. Defenders around the world fear India's counter-attacks. We have a very quick and skilful attack comprising Akashdeep, SV Sunil, Lalit Upadhyay, and Mandeep Singh who all have the capacity to advance with great speed.
We combine extremely well and have played together in the Hockey World League in Bhubaneswar. We will continue the same in the Commonwealth Games too.
SK: The first match of the Commonwealth Games is against Pakistan on April 7. What is the mood in the Indian camp usually like before a match against Pakistan? Is it different from that against the other teams?
GS: Not really. It is more or less the same as when we play any other team. We play every match to win irrespective of who the opponents are. There is, however, extra energy on account of the vociferous support from fans. More people come in for an India-Pakistan match and there is an aggressive tone to the proceedings. Apart from that, against Pakistan, England or Australia the ultimate aim is to win and nothing less.
SK: Gurjant, when you made your transition from the junior to the senior squad, who were the ones who assisted you the most and played the role of guide and mentor?
GS: Rupinder Pal Singh and I were in the same hostel. So, it was natural that I looked up to him and followed him the most. He was my idol when I was part of the National camp for the first time. He guided me a lot as he is a wonderful player with loads of experience.
We all guide each other. For instance, if we spot a deficiency in a player's technique or an error, we let him know. SV Sunil and Akashdeep have guided me a lot as they are experienced forwards. It is of paramount importance that the team does well and all of us have to contribute towards that end.
SK: What do you think has been Sjoerd Marijne's greatest contribution to the team and what has influenced you the most about his style of coaching?
GS: We have played four tournaments with Sjoerd Marijne in our camp and the results have been excellent. He likes us to play attacking hockey which we are adept at. Our forte is speed, skill and counter-attacks and he wants us to follow the same style that we are used to. We had a great experience with him.
He is our coach on the field, but we go out for dinner together, sometimes, and share a great bond. We have a lot of fun together. Training with him has been great.