Sardar Singh hails Hockey India's calculated approach for rising standards of national teams
Former India hockey star Sardar Singh has heralded Hockey India for their calculated approach which has led to big rewards for the Indian men's and women's national teams in recent years.
Sardar Singh said that the federation's meticulous planning and vision program have helped raise the standards of the teams and been crucial for their success in recent years. Currently, the men's team is ranked No.4 in the world while the women's team is ranked No. 9.
Sardar Singh credits Hockey India's professional approach for recent success
The 34-year-old credited the professional approach of Hockey India for the development of game in the country and the subsequent rise in rankings.
"One of the key things that has helped both the men's and women's team improve their performance and climb up the world ranking is the professional approach that they have inculcated over the years and providing a well-rounded support system for the team," Sardar Singh said.
The 2017 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee also emphasized that the focus on fitness, diet and scientific training has helped the team improve leaps and bounds.
He also praised the federation for hosting prestigious tournaments in India in recent years and improving the infrastructure for hockey around the nation.
"Hockey India hosting some of the top tournaments in the country has helped in developing the sport and infrastructure in the country. India in the current scenario boasts of the best world-class facilities to host event, the world saw India's hosting capabilities during the 2018 Men's World Cup which raised the bar at a global level," Singh added.
Sardar Singh featured for India in 314 matches from 2006 to 2018 and captained the team for eight years. He is a two-time Olympian and was part of the gold medal winning team at the 2014 Asian Games.
During his career, he even played abroad in the Belgian Hockey League and Hoofdklasse Hockey, the Dutch Hockey League.