Jalandhar, Oct 28 Veteran India hockey striker Mandeep Singh, who returned to form with a fine hat-trick in the country’s Asian Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh, is not quitting the game just yet and wants to continue till the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if he remains fit.
Mandeep silenced his detractors with the hat-trick and made a statement after he was reportedly identified as one of the four senior players, alongside Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas and Nilakanta Sharma, to be phased out after the ACT.
While Nilakanta announced on Tuesday that he would retire from the game after the tournament, Mandeep and Jarmanpreet said they would want to continue playing.
“Of course the goal is LA (Olympics). I am maintaining my body, I am still fit and improving day by day. I will try my best to play as long as I am fit,” Mandeep, 31, told PTI after India’s 13-0 win over Bangladesh in their tournament opener on Tuesday.
“I might have scored the hat-trick but for me it is a team goal. The combination of the strikers is good, no matter who scores. It’s a matter of pride.”
Playing in front of the home crowd, Mandeep was brilliant on Tuesday. Besides scoring thrice, he provided two assists and created a few penalty corners.
“We have always discussed that when the ball is on your stick, you have to produce an outcome, whether it is a goal, a penalty corner or an assist,” said Mandeep, who hails from Jalandhar and started his career at the Surjit Singh Hockey Academy here.
It is a nostalgic feeling for the players from Punjab as international hockey has returned to the state after 17 long years. The last time Punjab hosted an international tournament was the Gold Cup in 2009.
With more than half of the Indian squad hailing from Punjab, playing in front of family and friends for the first time was an emotional moment.
“All my family members have come here. It’s a big thing to play in front of them. It is a proud feeling,” said Mandeep, who has 301 international caps and 128 goals to his credit.
“I have been playing for 14 years with the Indian team but it is my first time I am playing in Punjab, the place where I learnt hockey. I would like to thank the CM, Hockey India and Punjab.
“Yes, I have scored goals but it was a team effort. We, strikers, have a good connection, it’s not that I or someone else will have to score and day-by-day our connection is becoming stronger,” he said.
India will next play China in their second round-robin match here on Thursday.
(PTI News)
