New Delhi, March 06 (HS): Angad Bir Singh has emerged as the new star of Indian hockey. Playing for Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in the recently concluded Hero Hockey India League, he scored a brilliant ‘double jalebi’ goal in the shootout against David Harte (Tamil Nadu Dragons), considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, which brought him into the limelight. After this tremendous performance, he was selected in the Indian senior men’s hockey team for the first time for the India leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25 and made his international debut against Ireland in Bhubaneswar.

Angad has previously achieved many successes with the junior national team. He proved his talent by winning gold in the 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup, bronze in the 2023 Sultan of Johor Cup and gold in the 2023 Men’s Junior Asia Cup.

First match and special momentIn a statement issued by Hockey India, Angad recalled his first senior international encounter and said, I was very excited before the match. This was the result of my many years of hard work. He told that when head coach Craig Fulton announced his debut in front of the team, his excitement increased even more. 22-year-old Angad said, At that moment I felt that something special is going to happen.

However, he was nervous in the first few minutes, but soon he became comfortable. He said that initially I was cautious, wanted to avoid making a mistake but then I told myself that this is also like a normal match, play your game, be confident. After this I completely immersed myself in the game. Support of senior playersAngad praised the senior players of the team Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh and Sanjay. He said, All the senior players encouraged me. They told me to play without pressure. Especially Manpreet and Hardik were guiding me throughout the match. Sanjay and I have a good rapport on the field, he also helped me a lot.

Angad also shared his experiences about the calm and positive attitude of coach Fulton. He said that before the match the coach told me to just play my game and enjoy this moment. Don’t worry about mistakes, I am with you. I will always remember these words and this gave me the freedom to play freely.

New challenges at the senior levelAngad said about the difference between the game at the junior and senior level, The game at the junior level is basic, but the senior level is completely strategic. The pace of the game is fast and every step has to be taken thoughtfully. I am constantly focusing on learning and improving my game. Talking about his future goals, he said, Being mentally prepared is as important as physical preparation. In the next match, I will be mentally more prepared than before. My goal is to learn in every match, increase coordination with my team mates and improve my performance.

Dream of winning gold in OlympicsThe biggest goal for Angad is to win a gold medal for India in the Olympics. He said, Our team won bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris Olympics, but now I want to be a part of the team that brings gold for India.

Family’s happinessAngad also recalled his family’s reaction to his success. He said, It was my father’s dream to play for the Indian team. During my debut match, the whole family and relatives were watching the match together. Their happiness and pride made this moment even more special for me. This journey of Angad Bir Singh points to an exciting future not only for him but also for Indian hockey.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar