India captain Sardar Singh is a talismanic midfielder who is rated as one of the best players in the game. The 27-year-old has been involved with the international set-up since 2003, and in that time has grown into one of hockey’s brightest stars. His coach, Terry Walsh, has ambitious hopes of getting India among the top six-ranked teams in the world, and Sardar is very much at the heart of that plan.
India's opening match took place in the Kyocera Stadium on the first day of the Rabobank Hockey World Cup, and the crowd was in for a treat as 8th-ranked India faced 9th-ranked Belgium. The result was a disappointment for the India captain as the Red Lions scored in the final 17 seconds of the game to take all three points.
Despite this set-back, Sardar and the team are still feeling positive. Both coach and captain were pleased with their preparations for the tournament. They enjoyed a 4-1 win over South Africa in their second and final warm-up game. “I am happy that as a team we performed really well in our last warm-up match against South Africa. That win provided a boost to our confidence level. Obviously we are disappointed with the result against Belgium, but I have advised my teammates not to take any pressure and just play their natural game and stay positive on the field."
Sardar Singh says his players remain "all geared up" and waiting for their next match against England. "The conditions here are ideal," he said. "Walking through the hockey park, you can tell there is a lot of excitement in the air here. I am feeling proud that I will be representing the country for the second time in a big tournament and we as a unit will put our best efforts and give a tough fight to the opponents," he said.
"We will continue to stick to our strategies and the planning put in place by the coaches. I can just say that all the boys are fully motivated and confident," he added.
Back in India, Sardar is recognised as a sports superstar: he became the youngest captain of the national side when he took up the reins of responsibility in 2008. Since then he has led India to silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, silver in the Champions Challenge and a silver in the Asia Cup. He is also the captain of the Hockey India League franchise team, the Delhi Waveriders. He also plays his domestic hockey for HC Bloemendaal, having signed for the Dutch giants in 2013.
Whatever results India achieve in this World Cup, you can rest assured the hockey will be entertaining, and at the very heart of the action will be their creative, inspiration captain.
