Harmanpreet Singh talks of all out efforts to keep the nerves calm
New Delhi: Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, said that including yoga into their weekly regimen has been very beneficial since it helped them sharpen their attention and increase their flexibility.
“Since this year will be challenging due to back-to-back competitions, we are focusing on maintaining our mental and physical freshness.
In the present FIH Pro League, where Harmanpreet is dominating the goal scorers’ list, he remarked, “Yoga has been incorporated to our weekly regimen and has done a world of good to our flexibility as well.
Under the direction of recently hired head coach and South African Craig Fulton, the Indian squad is now training for the Pro League’s European leg.
“On Saturday morning, we had our first meeting with new head coach Craig Fulton. He has a well-structured strategy for us this year and adds a lot of enthusiasm to every practice, Harmanpreet remarked.
“We now have positive momentum after doing well in the Pro League’s home games. To enter the European leg with the same assurance is the goal.
Beginning later this month, India will compete in the Pro League in London against Belgium and Great Britain before traveling to Eindhoven in June to take against Argentina and the Netherlands’ hosts.
Following the Pro League, India will host the seventh Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai from August 3 to 12, which serves as a warm-up for the September Hangzhou Asian Games.
Not only for us, but also for the onlookers, it will be a really exciting event. I’m hoping that all the hockey fans will come out in force to witness us play some of our best opponents in Asia,” added Harmanpreet.
“After we return from the Pro League, we will have a nice 45 days to prepare for the Asian Champions Trophy. We’ll have a solid showing at the Asian Games if we do well at home in the Asian Champions Trophy, the star drag flicker said.
India first won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011 and went on to win it again in 2016 after defeating Pakistan in the championship match.
After rain ruined the competition in Muscat, India and Pakistan shared the victory in the subsequent edition in 2018.
India won a bronze medal in the most recent competition, held in Dhaka in 2021.
