"Players needed to be given a chance ahead of the Olympics" - Hardik Singh insists team can compete with Australia despite disappointing tour
Hardik Singh has defended the decision of the Indian think-tank to give more players a chance to showcase their skills during the recent tour to Australia ahead of the Paris Olympics.
India, who fielded a few juniors in the squad alongside goalkeeper Suraj Karkera (who was playing his second international tournament after a nearly two-year gap), lost all five of their tour matches.
Hardik Singh delved deep into India's recent Australia tour in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda arguing that the disappointing results may not be a true reflection of the team's potential.
Hardik also revealed that he was ill and did not play a couple of matches choosing to describe the tour as a "wake-up call" for the team.
"I was down with a fever ahead of the Australia tour. I was running a temperature of around 101-102 degrees so I got to play just three of the five matches. I would say the tour was a wake-up call for us," the player from Jalandhar stated.
"As a team, we are aware deep down that we were unable to perform to the standards we had set for ourselves. Post the tour, we are doing a lot of analytical work and video sessions. The forwards are doing really well and the fullbacks are working hard to sharpen their skills," he added.
Hardik Singh also pointed out that the team had a few juniors on board while one goalkeeper (Suraj Karkera) was playing at the highest level after a long gap. He requested fans to keep these factors in mind while critiquing the results.
"Fans need to understand that we have a squad of 27 players and one of our goalkeepers (Suraj Karkera) hasn't got a chance to play for a couple of years) and we also had a few junior players in the team," the 2023 Hockey India Player of the Year explained.
"We had players in the team who hadn't had got a chance to perform at the highest level for a year or two. So, they needed to be given a chance to showcase their skills ahead of the Olympic Games," the ace midfielder opined.
"It would have been unfair to not give them a chance to play international matches before the Olympics. As such, we did not have the strongest of squads during the Australia tour." he stated. "We are now trimming the squad down so we can select the strongest team before the Olympics."
Hardik Singh asserted vehemently that regardless of the team's results during the Australia tour, Harmanpreet Singh and company can be competitive against Australia given the FIH Hockey Pro League results.
"During the Pro League, we were competitive against Australia. We lost 4-6 after leading 4-2 in the first leg and lost the second in a shootout after leading 2-1 until the final minutes," he said recalling the results.
"We do not have any magic wand but the team is good enough to compete against Australia. The process of improvement is on. Our fans need to be patient and have faith in us. If not, how will we receive the support we need during the Olympic Games?" he declared in an impassioned manner. "Indian fans need to be more patient."
The Indians will lock horns with Australia in a Pool B match during the men's hockey competition at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Elaborating on his role as a midfielder, Hardik Singh revealed that he liked assisting the strikers but made the most of counter-attacking chances when the opportunity presented itself.
An incredible dribbling run that beat the Spanish defense in a Men's World Cup game last year highlighted Hardik's goalscoring prowess.
"I like assisting the strikers as we have some very good forwards in the team like Abhishek, Sukhjeet and Mandeep. I feel a team is successful when the strikers score and therefore its my job to help them score. Our role is to provide solidity in the midfield and then take the chances we get during the counter-attacks," he elucidated.
"Both teams have won gold in previous editions" - Hardik Singh on why playing Argentina and Belgium will be vital ahead of Paris 2024
Hardik Singh believes that playing Argentina and Belgium in the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League will be vital for India ahead of their Paris Olympic campaign.
Argentina stunned the hockey world by winning gold in Rio 2016 beating Belgium in the final, while the Belgian Red Lions themselves were crowned champions in Tokyo.
The Indians continue their Hockey Pro League campaign in Europe where Craig Fulton's team will take on Argentina and Belgium, who are pooled alongside India in the Paris Olympics. Hardik stressed that testing strategies will be vital for the side that won bronze in Tokyo 2021.
"Playing Argentina and Belgium will be vital ahead of our preparations for Paris 2024 since both teams have won gold at the two previous Olympics in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021," Hardik Singh stated.
"Our main focus now is on the Europe tour which will help us test out our strategies and improve the understanding we have as a team," the 25-year-old said.
India faces Argentina on May 22 in the first of their European leg matches of the FIH Men's Pro League. The Indians who are currently placed third in the Pro League points table then take on hosts Belgium in Antwerp on Thursday, May 23.