Interview with drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh: No regrets about missing HIL now that I've been selected for India

File Photo: Gurjinder Singh

Sports can be a great leveller. The experience of being out of the national side is one thing and the experience of earning a recall to the Indian team is quite another. Drag-flicker Gurjinder Singh is having an altogether different feeling. He was not part of the inaugural Hero Hockey India League and now he has finally earned a national call-up for the upcoming Hero Hockey World League Round 2 tournament, beginning at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi from February 18.

Undoubtedly, Gurjinder is in seventh heaven. “I’m very happy at my selection in the senior India team for the Hero Hockey World League Round 2. I have been training hard for Indian Oil and I’m fully fit to give my best for my country in the upcoming tournament,” the 20-year-old just couldn’t hide his excitement in an exclusive interview to Sportskeeda.

The talented drag-flicker, who hails from Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, has no regrets about missing the Hero Hockey India League. “Initially, I was a tad disappointed at not being part of the HIL. But playing for India is the ultimate thing. Every youngster dreams of wearing the national jersey and I can’t tell you how excited I’m at being picked in the national side. Not featuring in the HIL doesn’t concern me anymore as I’m focused on doing well for India.”

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Gogi’ by his friends and close relatives, Gurjinder has been the most talked-about hockey player in the domestic circuit, not merely just for his WSH claim to fame but more for his stellar performances in various domestic tournaments.

The youngster scored 9 goals in the Surjit Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament and was named the Best Player of the Tournament. He scored 8 goals in the 65th All-India Obaidullah Gold Cup Hockey Tournament and was named the Best Defender of the Tournament. Gurjinder was also adjudged the Best Player of the Tournament in the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey Tournament. Even at the Seniors Nationals, Gurjinder was named the Best Defender of the Tournament and also won a Tata Nano for his exploits.

The Singh ménage was teeming with joy as soon as the news of Gurinder’s selection trickled in. “All my family members, relatives, friends were elated to hear about my selection. My dad, mom, my brother and sister were all very happy to see me get an India call-up,” he gushes.

Gurjinder, who was named the best player of the tournament in the rebel WSH and was the joint top goal-scorer along with Imran Warsi with 19 goals, steers clear of any talk on WSH.“ It is a closed chapter for me. I don’t want to say anything about it,” he brushes off any queries.

The Indian Oil employee, who was named as a standby in the initial national hockey probables for the first camp after the London Olympics, believes in learning the tricks of drag-flicking from fellow players. “I don’t have any role model as such. I try to learn from fellow players. I take tips from Jugraj Singh, Sandeep Singh, even Vokkliga Raghunath, who is my Indian Oil team-mate,” he quips.

Gurjinder was initially coached by Ranjit Singh at the Cheema Hockey Academy in Batala before shifting to Chandigarh, where he trained at the Chandigarh Hockey Acadmy under coaches late Jasbir Singh Bajwa and Gurvinder Singh.

His presence in the national team means there is more competition in the drag-flick department. “Sandeep, Raghunath and Rupinder are all good drag-flickers. I’m keen to share the national team dressing room with them. Healthy competition is always good for the team,” he says.

The drag-flicker wants to see India on the top of world hockey. “I want to help India win the Olympic gold as well as win the World Cup. I want to play a big role in India becoming a world-beater,” he concludes.