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There isn’t any option for a player, but to take things in his stride if an injury forces him out of the national team. Experienced Indian striker Dharamvir Singh is precisely doing the same after a groin injury put him out of the ongoing European tour comprising Test matches against France and Spain.
The tall 25-year-old forward, who was part of the gold-winning 2014 Asian Games team as well as part of the bronze-winning 2010 Asian Games team, is currently going through a rehab programme for the injury he sustained during the Hockey World League Semifinal Round in Belgium.
“I did not carry any injury going into the tournament in Belgium. I was beginning to experience severe pain on my groin and it got worse during the game against Australia. This is the first time in four years that I’m laid low with any kind of injury, but it’s all part of the game,” Dharamvir says in an informal chat.
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) employee is taking meticulous care to ensure he is back on his feet sooner than later. “I have already spent fifteen days of rehab and only started mild running. It will take me another two weeks for me to get back into action. I think I should be available for selection by early next month,” he quipped.
Dharamvir did not appear to get adequate ‘playing time’ during the world league semifinal round in Belgium. “Maybe, our coach who was new to his job, was trying out a few things, but you also have to remember that I did play carrying my injury and then backed out when the injury got worse,” he revealed.
Dharamvir is not the only one to be hampered by injury. Manpreet Singh also missed the European tour owing to a shin injury. Earlier, SV Sunil, VRaghunath and Kothajit Singh had missed the world league semifinals.
