New Delhi: Back-to-back Olympic medals for the first time in 50 years and the long-awaited return of HIL brightened up the year for Indian hockey. The year also saw one of Indian hockey’s biggest stars heading into the sunset after an illustrious career.
Harmanpreet Singh’s men’s team, who finished third at this summer’s Paris Olympics, proved that their historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago was no flash in the pan.
With this medal, the legendary PR Sreejesh, who has been one of the team’s biggest pillars for almost 20 years, received a well-deserved dismissal after deciding to retire from playing. His current presence in the junior team bodes well for Indian hockey as they aim for more success in the future.
Prior to the Tokyo and Paris Games, the last times the Indian hockey team won consecutive Olympic medals were at the 1968 Mexico City Games and the 1972 Munich Games. Under chief coach Craig Fulton, the Indians had to change their style of play, focusing on defense and relying on counterattacks to build a fast-paced attack, but the players had to change their style before the big event. I accepted the approach.
The Indians played fearless hockey throughout the tournament, and their victory over Great Britain in the 10-man quarterfinals was a reflection of the players’ mental strength. India played thin for nearly 43 minutes and ultimately won the shootout thanks to some brave defending and PR Sreejesh’s brilliance under the bar, advancing to their second successive Olympic semi-final. Many stars have shone in the years gone by, and some new ones have also emerged, but nothing can match what old warhorses Harmanpreet and Sreejesh have accomplished for the team.
