Hardik Singh

Last updated

Hardik Singh
Hardik Singh.jpg
Singh in August 2022
Personal information
Full name Hardik Singh Rai
Born (1998-09-23) 23 September 1998 (age 26)
Khusropur, Jalandhar district,
Punjab, India [1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) [2]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Indian Oil Corporation
Senior career
YearsTeam
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board
Indian Oil Corporation
National team
YearsTeamCapsGoals
2014 India U21 4 (0)
2018– India 142 (11)
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing Flag of India.svg  India
Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2020 Tokyo Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2024 Paris Team
Asian Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Hangzhou Team
Asian Champions Trophy
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Muscat
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Chennai
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2021 Dhaka
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Birmingham Team

Hardik Singh (born 23 September 1998) is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a midfielder for the Indian national team. [3]

Contents

Early life

Singh's father was Varinderpreet Singh Rai, who works as a police officer, played for India. His grandfather Preetam Singh Rai was a hockey coach with the Indian Navy. [4] Hardik played hockey as a youngster in his village Khusropur under the tutelage of his grandfather. Like his uncles Gurmail Singh and Jugraj Singh, both former internationals, Hardik began playing as a defender in the wings. He took up hockey seriously in 2012 and joined the Punjab Institute of Sports Academy in Mohali before moving to Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar. [5]

Hardik's aunt Rajbir Kaur also played internationally for India while her husband Gurmail Singh was a part of gold-medal-winning Indian team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics [6] Hardik is a fifth-generation hockey player in the family. [7] He regards his uncle Jugraj Singh as his mentor, [1] and credits him for persuading Hardik to stay back when he decided to move to the Netherlands after opportunities in India seemed to dry up for him as a 18-year-old.

International career

2018–2022: Debut and Olympics bronze

After becoming the vice-captain of the Indian junior team, Singh made his senior international debut at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy held in Muscat. [8] His first match was India's opening fixture against Oman on 18 October; India won 11–0. [9] Finalists India and Pakistan were declared joint-winners after the match was abandoned due to rain. [10]

Singh was included in India's squad for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. [11] He scored his first goal of the competition in the quarter-final against Great Britain. Singh's 57th-minute counter-attacking goal helped India secure a 3–1 win, and an entry into the medal-round for the first time since the 1980 Moscow Olympics. [12] A semi-final loss to Belgium was followed by bronze-medal finish after a win against Germany. Singh scored once in the eventual 5–3 win. [13] He scored off a loose ball from a penalty corner in the second quarter to give his team a 2–1 lead. [14]

In the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Singh was a part of the India team that finished second. His team had an undefeated run leading up to the final, where they lost 7–0 to Australia. He recalled the game being "a big test" for him and that he wanted to "focus more on controlling the tempo of the game and build on leadership qualities." [15] At the Hockey India Awards, Singh was awarded the Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year for 2022. [16]

2023–present

Singh was named in India's squad for the 2023 World Cup. In its profiling, ESPN called him "India's engine in the middle of the park. Non-stop running leads India's pressing, and sublime passer." [17] He scored in India's opening game against Spain in a 2–0 win. [18] In the next group stage match, against England, Singh sustained a hamstring injury leading him to miss the rest of the tournament. [19] In July that year, Singh played his 100th match for India, against England, in the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation tournament in Barcelona, Spain. [20]

Singh was part of the side that finished first in both the Asian Champions Trophy and the Hangzhou Asian Games, both played in 2023. Recognizing his performances in these successes, Singh was awarded the FIH Player of the Year (Male). [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Field hockey in India</span>

Field hockey in India refers to two teams, the India men's national field hockey team and the India women's national field hockey team. It is one of the most popular sports in India, as it is one of the major team sports in which India has been historically successful.

Udham Singh Kular was an Indian Hockey Player from Sansarpur, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He played in 1952 Summer Olympics Helsinki, 1956 Summer Olympics Melbourne, 1960 Summer Olympics Rome and 1964 Summer Olympics Tokyo. He shares the distinction of being one of only two Indian players to win four Olympic medals, the other being Leslie Claudius. He scored 14 goals from total of 14 Olympic matches

Sansarpur is a village in Jalandhar district in the Indian state of Punjab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India men's national field hockey team</span> Mens field hockey team representing India

The India men's national field hockey team represents India in international field hockey competitions. The team is governed by the association Hockey India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashok Kumar (field hockey)</span> Indian field hockey player

Ashok Kumar is an Indian former professional field hockey player. He is the son of the Indian hockey player Dhyan Chand. Kumar was known for his exceptional skills and ball control. He was a member of the Indian team that won the 1975 World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hockey India</span> Official Game of India

Hockey India plans, directs and conducts all the activities for both men's and women's field hockey in India. It is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India as the sole body responsible towards promoting the sport. It was formed after the Indian Hockey Federation was dismissed in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. R. Sreejesh</span> Indian field hockey player

Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh is an Indian former field hockey player. He was the captain of the national team and played as a goalkeeper. Since 2024, he is the head coach of the India men's national U-21 team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest goal keepers in the history of field hockey. Sreejesh played a vital role in the Indian national team's bronze medal wins at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics. He won the best male goalkeeper award at the FIH Awards in 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Jugraj Singh is a former Indian field hockey player whose playing career was cut short by a 2003 car accident. Born in 1983 to a Sikh family in Punjab, the former Punjab policeman was a self-coached, drag-flicker defender who later became a coach. A product of the Surjeet Singh Hockey Academy in Jalandhar and the Air India Hockey Academy in Delhi, Singh played left fullback for the Punjab Police team in Jalandhar; he made his international debut in the 2001 under-18 Asia Cup in Ipoh. Singh was not the only field-hockey player in his family; his aunt Rajbeer Kaur Rai is a former India captain and recipient of the Arjuna Award, and his brother-in-law Gurmail Singh played on the 1980 Olympic team. Singh played a pivotal role in taking Indian field hockey to a higher level by winning the Junior World Cup, the 2003 Indo-Pak Champions Trophy and the Asian Championship. He was considered to be the next Sohail Abbas by many experts; in a series against Pakistan, he performed so well that Abbas said he could see a younger version of himself in Singh.

Colonel Balbir Singh Kular, VSM is an Indian field hockey player (half-back). He is also known as Balbir Singh Kullar/Khullar, or simply as Balbir Singh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Pakistan field hockey rivalry</span>

The India–Pakistan field hockey rivalry is among the most intense sports rivalries in the Asia and the world in the sport of field hockey. India and Pakistan have played against each other several times in field hockey. They participate in World Cup, FIH Pro League, Summer Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asia Cup, Men's Asian Champions Trophy, Asian Games, South Asian Games and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

Rupinder Pal Singh is an Indian former field hockey player, who represented the India national field hockey team. He plays as a fullback and is known for his abilities as one of the best drag flickers in the world. He represented India in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, 2014 Asian Games at Incheon, 2016 Olympic Games held at Rio de Janeiro, and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, held at Gold Coast, Australia. He was part of the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardik Pandya</span> Indian cricketer (born 1993)

Hardik Himanshu Pandya is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the Indian cricket team. An all-rounder who bats right-handed in the middle-order and bowls right-arm fast-medium deliveries. He is currently one of the best all-rounders in the world in white-ball cricket. Pandya has represented India in all 3 formats. He captains Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He occasionally plays for his regional team Baroda in domestic cricket. He captained Indian team for some time and was the vice captain of the team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he bowled the last match-winning over in the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manpreet Singh (field hockey)</span> Indian field hockey player

Manpreet Singh Pawar is an Indian field hockey player and a four time Olympian from Punjab. He led the Indian field hockey team to the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He plays as a halfback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmanpreet Singh</span> Indian field hockey player

Harmanpreet Singh is an Indian field hockey player as well as the captain of the Indian national hockey team. He plays as a defender, is a penalty corner specialist, and is regarded as one of the best drag flickers in the world. He has scored the most number of international goals for India in modern day hockey. He led the team to clinch the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This was his second bronze in three appearances at the Olympics. Singh also captained the team to win a gold at the 2022 Asian Games. He has won the Player of the Year title at the FIH Awards thrice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balbir Singh Sr.</span> Indian field hockey player (1923–2020)

Balbir Singh Dosanjh, predominantly known as Balbir Singh Sr., was an Indian hockey player and coach. He was a three-time Olympic gold prabhdeep medallist, having played a key role in India's wins in London (1948), Helsinki (1952), and Melbourne (1956) Olympics. He is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, a modern-day Dhyan Chand, a legend of the sport, and is widely regarded as the sport's greatest ever centre-forward. His Olympic record for most goals scored by an individual in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten. Singh set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6–1 victory over the Netherlands in the men's field hockey final of the 1952 Olympic Games. He was often called Balbir Singh Senior to distinguish him from other Indian hockey players named Balbir Singh. Singh scored 246 goals from just 61 international caps and scored 23 goals in just 8 Olympic matches

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivek Prasad</span> Indian field hockey player

Vivek Sagar Prasad is an Indian field hockey player from Madhya Pradesh and a two-time Olympian bronze medalist. He plays as a midfielder for the Indian national team. He is a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and won his second bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics at Paris.

Harendra Singh is an Indian field hockey coach and former player, who began one more stint as the head coach of the India women's national field hockey team from April 2024. He is a former head coach of India's men's, women's and junior teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arshdeep Singh (cricketer)</span> Indian cricketer (born 1999)

Arshdeep Singh Aulakh is an Indian professional cricketer who plays for the India national cricket team. In Indian domestic cricket, he plays for Punjab and for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League. Arshdeep is a left-arm medium-fast bowler. He was an integral member of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup, and was the joint-highest wicket taker of the tournament. Singh was also member of the Indian U-19 World cup 2018 winning squad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jugraj Singh (field hockey, born 1996)</span> Indian field hockey player

Jugraj Singh is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a defender for the Indian national team.

The 2024 Men's International Festival of Hockey was the third edition of the International Festival of Hockey, a field hockey tournament held in Australia. The tournament took place in Perth from 6–13 April 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 Sahni, Jaspreet (21 November 2018). "Hockey World Cup: Hardik Singh - From ball boy to World Cup". The Times of India . Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "SINGH Hardik". www.worldcup2018.hockey. International Hockey Federation . Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "HARDIK SINGH". hockeyindia.org. Hockey India. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  4. ↑ Das, Tanmay (1 December 2018). "Hockey World Cup: 'Home' support for Hardik Singh". The New Indian Express . Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  5. ↑ Unnikrishnan, Dilip (23 July 2022). "CWG 2022, Hockey: Hardik hungers for gold". Scroll.in. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "Vice-captain Hardik Singh is fifth in family to win laurels in hockey". The Tribune . 1 October 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  7. ↑ "Fighting spirit behind India hockey team's resurgence: Hardik". The Statesman. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "'Next two months crucial for the team', says Indian Men's Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh". Asian Hockey Federation . Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "Indian Men's Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 campaign". Hockey India. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Asian Champions Trophy: India, Pakistan declared joint winners after final called-off due to rain". The Times of India. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Hockey India Announces Men's squad for Tokyo Olympic Games 2020". Hockey India. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Tokyo 2020: Hardik Singh's counter-attack goal seals India's place in semi-final" . The Indian Express. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Scroll Staff (5 August 2021). "Tokyo 2020, men's hockey: India beat Germany to win bronze, end 41-year wait for Olympic medal". Scroll.in. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Unnikrishnan, Dilip (23 July 2022). "CWG 2022, Hockey: Hardik hungers for gold". Scroll.in. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  15. ↑ ""The Final against Australia is a big lesson ahead of the World Cup," says Hardik Singh". Hockey India. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "Hardik Singh and Savita win the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2022". Hockey India. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "Know Your Team: Meet India's 18-member squad for Hockey Men's World Cup 2023". ESPN. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "Hockey World Cup highlights: India beat Spain 2-0 in opener". ESPN. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  19. ↑ "India suffers setback as injured Hardik Singh is ruled out of FIH Hockey World Cup 2023". The Economic Times. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  20. ↑ "Hockey India congratulates Hardik Singh on completing 100 international appearances". Asian News International. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  21. ↑ "India hockey star Hardik Singh focuses on team play for Olympics success". Mintlounge. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.