Uttam Singh and his troops train at SAI ahead of the Men's Junior Hockey World Cup.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: The Indian men's junior hockey team is bustling with talent. Their recent exploits include winning the Junior Asia Cup and a third-place finish in the Sultan of Johor Cup this year, an event the team won in 2022.
With upcoming stars flourishing under the tutelage of head coach CR Kumar, the colts will look to announce themselves on the global stage with a good showing in the Junior Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur from December 5-16.
The free-scoring Indians are placed in Pool C with Canada, South Korea and Spain, and look well placed to go the distance. In a recent exposure tour, India beat Spain, and dominated South Korea in the Junior Asia Cup.
"We have been working towards this World Cup for the last two years, players have been improving and they have been gaining experience through exposure tours," coach Kumar told DH.
"Attack is our strength, and we don't want to curtail our strengths. Scoring is a high priority and by scoring, we can put our opponents under pressure and win games. We expect the players to create the right balance.
"There are many players that have raised their standards and have faced off against the seniors. If they perform and win the trophy, they can give faith to national coach (Craig) Fulton that they belong in the senior team. I hope many players from this team have successful careers," Kumar added.
Uttam Singh has grown leaps and bounds as a reliable attacker and a captain who leads by example.
"I hope to continue what I have been doing in the attacking third. But keeping the WC in mind and me being captain, I also need to motivate the players and make the strategy and tactics. We hope to implement what we have practiced," Uttam told DH ahead of the team's departure.
Goalkeeper Mohith HS has been a standout performer between the sticks. The Hassan lad's shoot-out heroics against Pakistan in the Junior Asia Cup final and the Sultan of Johor Cup third-place playoff, combined with a catalogue of superb saves, have helped India get over the line in tight games.
"I have a mindset of always wanting more. Whatever challenges lie, I want to work hard and perform. We work hard every day and have sacrificed a lot. Every time I don the India jersey, I enter another realm of focus, be it in game or training," said Mohith.
"Everyone is aiming for the cup. Camps are very detail oriented with a focus on our weaknesses and where we can improve. We video analyze our opponents," the 21-year-old signed off.