Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born | Punjab, India | 25 July 1995||
Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) [1] | ||
Playing position | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | BPCL | ||
Senior career | |||
Years | Team | ||
2014–2017 | Punjab Warriors | ||
2017- | BPCL | ||
National team | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2014–2016 | India U21 | ||
2017– | India | 141 | (40) |
Medal record |
Varun Kumar (born 25 July 1995) is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a defender for Punjab Warriors in the Hockey India League and the Indian national team.
Born in Punjab, Kumar belongs to Dalhousie, District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Kumar first started to play hockey when he was in school. [2] He represented his home state of Punjab in the Junior National Championships in 2012 and did very well, earning a call-up to the junior national team. [2] Injury soon after the tournament kept Kumar quiet for two years before he did very well in the 2014 Junior National Championships and was recalled into the junior national team.
Kumar soon managed to sign with the Punjab Warriors in the Hockey India League. He was retained for the 2014 season. [3] After the season, he was retained for a period of two years for the 2015 and 2016 seasons of the league. [4] Finally he won gold medal in 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. [5]
Varun Kumar has represented the India junior side. He emerged as the top-scorer for India during the Four-Nations Invitational Tournament in Spain before being selected into the side for the Junior World Cup side. [6]
India has a history of sports dating back to the Vedic period. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport; it generates the highest television viewership, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most-followed league in the country. Football has also gained popularity, with the Indian Super League (ISL) being the highest level of domestic football, and the national team winning multiple gold medals at the Asian and South Asian Games. Additional football accomplishments include India having reached the Groupstage of the 1960 Olympics, qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and won the SAFF Championship. Other sports include kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and athletics, with kho-kho becoming the fourth-most viewed sport. India has also had success in field hockey, winning the World Cup and multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Sports such as golf, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, wrestling, and basketball are featured throughout the country.
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