Manpreet Singh’s journey from a young hockey enthusiast to the captain of the Indian men’s national team has been a hard one. Obstacles hav...
Manpreet Singh’s journey from a young hockey enthusiast to the captain of the Indian men’s national team has been a hard one. Obstacles have punctuated his path, but he’s always found a way around them.
It all began when a 10-year-old Manpreet, often locked up in his room by his mother, used to sneak his way out to play hockey. It was only when he won a prize of Rs 500 in a local tournament that his family warmed up to his special talent. It was the first success for Manpreet, but also a first lesson. He learnt that he had to earn his dreams.
Rising through the ranks
The midfielder made his debut for the national team in 2012, when Indian hockey was pretty much in tatters. His first major outing in an Indian shirt was at the 2012 Olympics when the team recorded the worst performance in its history as they finished 12th (last) in the competition.
For a young player, trying to find his feet at the international level, there couldn’t have been a worse start. He was then named captain of the Indian junior team for the 2013 World Cup in New Delhi. The team failed to impress and finished tenth at the event. But...
