Want to complete India’s medal win in World Cup: Akashdeep

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Akashdeep Singh is the best striker of India. Guided by maestro Graham Reid’s strategy, Akashdeep Singh is now playing as a linkman in the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup here. The very cool-tempered Akashdeep (28 years old) has been cleverly leading India’s goal-scoring campaigns on the field along with Shamsher Singh and aggressive center half Hardik Singh. In the Pool D match against England, which was a goalless draw, Akashdeep scored several dangerous shots in the D along with making his own goal drive, but was unable to score due to the promptness of goalkeeper Oliver Paine. A special conversation is presented with Akashdeep on the questions like last minute inclusion in the Indian team that won bronze in Tokyo Olympics and the role in the current World Cup and the journey ahead after the first two matches.

Question: How did you prepare yourself to return to the team after missing out on a berth for the Tokyo Olympics and winning India’s bronze there?

answer: I will not deny that it was very difficult for me to explain myself after being in the Indian team for a long time and not getting a place in it for the Tokyo Olympics at the last minute. Even when I didn’t get a place in the team for the Olympics, my family and I prayed for the team’s success there. My whole family and I were extremely happy when the Indian team won bronze in the Tokyo Olympics. I sent a congratulatory message to the team for this success. I had personally asked Chief Coach Graham Reid what he expected from me and what improvement he hoped for after I was not selected in the team for the Olympics. Reid urged me to stay fit and improve my off-the-ball running. I worked hard after that and convinced myself that whatever God does, he probably does it for the good. I kept my faith in Lord Guru Maharaj. I explained to myself that who knows, I get selected in the team for the Olympics, if I get injured and get out, then finally I returned to the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games and there our team won the silver medal. . Whenever I get a chance, I go to visit the Golden Temple. Paying obeisance at the Golden Temple helps in dealing with difficult situations and keeping oneself calm.

Question: You are one of the most experienced players of the team playing 221 international hockey matches for India scoring 85 goals. Now your target for this World Cup ahead?

answer: Having won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games after being left out of the team at the Olympics and then going to Australia to play a hockey Test series against them, our entire Indian team, including me, is confident of winning a medal in the ongoing World Cup. To be honest, I want to complete India’s medal win in the World Cup because of being out of the team that won bronze in Olympics. As far as the match against England is concerned, their goalkeeper Oliver Paine had a great day and made some really good saves. Otherwise, we would have definitely won. Now our team started with a two-goal win against Spain.

Question: How do you see the new role of Linkman in the Indian team in the current team. Being experienced in the past, Dhanraj Pillai and Baljit Dhillon have played this role for India.

answer: I am naturally a striker and this is the position I have played for India under different hockey masters over the last decade or so. I am currently playing as a linkman as per the requirement of the Indian team. Every player has to play accordingly to implement the team’s strategy. In this, along with speaking the attack myself, I have to come back and help the middle line of the team. Now we have many young players in our current team and now it is my responsibility to speak attacks for the team as well as help them speak attacks. When I was not selected in the Indian team for the Olympics, Sardar paaji always advised me to believe in myself and keep working hard. His advice was very useful for me.

Question: How is India’s preparation going forward in the ongoing World Cup?

answer: Our team played well in the first two matches and the most important thing is that we did not concede a single goal in them. Our focus is now on scoring as many goals as possible in our upcoming matches in the World Cup. Our team has the potential to do better in this World Cup. The good thing is that we all have faith in each other and everyone is ready to perform better. (The author is a senior sports journalist)

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