"You need confidence in your skills" - Indian team star Hardik Singh speaks on his journey to becoming heartbeat of the side

The most important moment, possibly, in the Indian men's hockey team's bronze medal-winning campaign at the Tokyo Olympics involved Hardik Singh. In the quarterfinal against Great Britain, the Indian team was leading 2-1 but faced an extended period of pressure from their opponents in the final quarter.

The British team was in and around the Indian 'D' for a long time and looked set to equalize. Then, around the 57th minute, Hardik got the ball in the Indian half and raced forward in a counter-attack.

He had two British defenders ahead of him and Nilakanta Sharma above them. Hardik had to make a choice - either try to pass the ball between the two defenders to Nilakanta or beat the defenders on his own, and he chose the latter.

The midfielder from Punjab then dodged the two defenders and eventually scored the goal with a reverse hit. That goal sealed India's win, a place in the semifinal, and in the long run, the team's first Olympic medal in hockey since 1980.

Ups and downs in Hardik Singh's career

Hardik Singh continued to dazzle with his skills in the months that followed. However, when he was in roaring form during the 2023 World Cup, his participation was cut short by an unfortunate injury. The Indian team couldn't recover from his loss and failed to reach even the quarterfinals.

Now, the Indian team seems to have regained its footing and is heading into the Paris Olympics with new-found confidence. Coach Craig Fulton has brought in a new style and Hardik, as the vice-captain, is playing a crucial role in it.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the 25-year-old discussed various issues. He talked about becoming a star and dealing with the pressure it brings. He also looked at the state of the Indian team and its prospects at the 2024 Olympics.

Here are the excerpts from the interview.

Q: Your profile as a player has grown a lot in the last 2-3 years and you are also the vice-captain of the side now. Are you comfortable with the stardom you have achieved?

Hardik Singh: I think so. Because any athlete, when he is starting out, wants to be noticed by people. I am very thankful to the team that they have shown such trust in me and given me this opportunity (to be vice-captain).

However, it’s (hockey) a team game, no individual can become bigger than the team. In a team sport, we have to keep everyone on the same page and help each other play well.

Q: With your status as one of India’s most important players now established, do you get targeted more by the opposition?

Hardik Singh: This is bound to be the case. Whenever we play, the opposition is bound to target our key players, as we do with them.

My aim is that if I am not on the ball, I am still indirectly helping my central midfielder or attackers. If I move out of the central zone, then due to the opposition’s man-to-man marking, that area might open up for the attackers of our team. They can come in and take the ball from there. This way, you can help your teammates. That has always been my role, to help my teammates.

Q: You are a brilliant dribbler and also very good at passing. When you have the ball, how do you decide whether to dribble the ball forward or go for a pass?

Hardik Singh: That depends on the situation. The team currently plays in the zonal formation. So, you are often attacked by 3-4 players at a time. In such situations, your best option is to pass the ball.

Also, my current position on the field is of a defensive midfielder, so I am usually on my D-line with my teammates, around the 23-meter line. There, if a turnover takes place, there will be serious danger of a goal being conceded.

So, we have to play very cautiously at that position. But, when you get to the opposition’s 23-meter line, then you have to show your skill. Then, you need that confidence in your skills.

Hardik Singh in action

Q: This reminds me of your fabulous goal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against England. What are your memories of that strike?

Hardik Singh: I think I went by my instincts there. There wasn’t anything pre-conceived in my mind. When you work hard, sooner or later, it does come to the fore.

As far as that particular goal is concerned, my teammate Nilakanta (Sharma) was ahead of me and he drew those two defenders somewhat away from me. And then, you have to back your skills that you work on in the training. That’s what I did there.

Q: The last World Cup was a very tough experience for you as you were in superb form in the first two matches. Then, you suffered an injury and missed the rest of the tournament. How did you deal with that disappointment?

Hardik Singh: Yes, that was a very dark period for me. The 2018 World Cup wasn’t a great outing for me. All my hard work went in vain in the next World Cup four years later.

More so, the work that I put in myself also came to nothing. But more than all that, I felt bad because the team lost. No athlete would want his team to lose if he is out with an injury. At that time, our team was playing well and my performance was also good. Unfortunately, this is part of the game and part of life. There are setbacks but you have to come back stronger.

Q: The Indian team seems to be playing in a different style under current coach Craig Fulton compared to during Graham Reid’s time. Instead of pressing high, the team seems to be sitting back in defense and trying to hit the opposition on counter-attacks. Is that a correct assessment?

Hardik Singh: Yes, there has been a change in tactics. We are confident with this structure and with these tactics. The team needed it.

We have a very experienced coach. He had been with Belgium, a very successful team. His experience of being with a team (as assistant coach of Belgium) in big matches like the finals of the World Cup and the Olympics is bound to affect the team positively.

Q: Have you become comfortable with your role in this new style of playing?

Hardik Singh: Whenever a new coach comes, he brings his ideas of structure and playing style. You have to play according to that style. It may be somewhat difficult at times, but you are an elite athlete at this level. The team always comes first. So, whatever the team requires, you need to play like that.

Q: Do you think the Indian team is currently in as good a shape as before the last Olympics?

Hardik Singh: There is a difference between our run-up to the last Olympics and this upcoming one. Last time around, we didn’t have as many matches before the Olympics. So, we didn’t know how, for instance, Spain would play, or how would New Zealand play.

This time around, we have around 20-30 matches in the run-up to Paris, out of which 12-13 are still to come. It is a strong point that we have so many games before the Olympics. All athletes in our squad are getting chances.

Last time around, if I remember correctly, we only had one series against Argentina before the Tokyo Olympics. In the matches that we have this time around, we are working to further strengthen our strong points and improve on our weak areas. Our team is very confident going into the Paris Olympics.

Q: Are you satisfied with your performance in the last round of FIH Pro League matches?

Hardik Singh: I think, yes, except for one match against Spain. In that game, I didn’t play up to my standards. But I was happy about the rest of the games.

One thing I have understood, having played for this long, is that you have to help your teammates show their talent. This happens behind the scenes. This work doesn’t get featured in the news and you don’t get asked about it by anchors because they don’t have that kind of knowledge.

For instance, if we don’t earn penalty corners for our drag-flickers, how will they score goals? Also, if our forwards want a straight ball passed to them and I instead want to dribble the ball ahead, then I have to sacrifice my preference for the forwards. That’s what I focussed on this time around.

The team also played well. Some of the top-six teams in the world had come here for this round of matches. So, things went well, according to me.

Q: Your uncle Jugraj Singh was a big star in the Indian hockey team at the start of the century. Sadly, a terrible accident prematurely ended his international career. Has he been supporting you and motivating you to do what he couldn’t do in his time?

Hardik Singh: He has greatly supported me right from the beginning. I used to talk to him when I wasn’t on the team. He told me that I should persist with Indian hockey and not go anywhere else. He would say, ‘You need to be patient, your time will come’.

He also feels that the 2001-03 phase was very good for the Indian team. Then, he had that accident and it greatly affected the team. He now sees himself with this team because I am playing in it and there are a couple of more players from his area. So, yes his support has been there.