Indian hockey’s recent successes have been nothing short of a dramatic turnaround, and star midfielder Hardik Singh has been at the heart of this revival. In an interview reflecting on the team’s journey from a low point in 2008 to winning back-to-back Olympic bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris, Hardik shared his thoughts on the challenges, triumphs, and the road ahead.

Recalling the painful memories of 2008, Hardik acknowledged that the failure of the Indian men’s team to qualify for the Beijing Olympics for the first time since 1920 was a devastating blow. Even when they did qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, it was a forgettable campaign, with the team losing all their matches and conceding 15 goals. These moments, he said, served as a harsh reminder of how far Indian hockey had fallen from its glory days.

Hardik spoke about the immense pressure the team felt to restore India’s legacy in the sport. “When we think about where we were in 2008, it’s clear that we were at rock bottom. The disappointment of London 2012 was another blow, but those experiences made us stronger and more determined to bring Indian hockey back to the top,” Hardik told Sportskeeda.

The turning point came in Tokyo 2020, where India ended a 40-year Olympic medal drought by winning the bronze. Hardik, who played a crucial role in that historic achievement, described the feeling of pride and relief that came with it. “Winning the bronze in Tokyo was a moment of redemption. It was a reward for all the hard work, sacrifice, and belief that we could once again make India proud on the Olympic stage.”

In the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics, India came tantalizingly close to competing for gold, only to be edged out by Germany in a hard-fought semifinal. Reflecting on the narrow 2-3 loss, Hardik noted that the team had played well but was undone by a few critical moments. He pointed to the absence of key defender Amit Rohidas, who was suspended due to a red card in the quarterfinals, as a significant factor. 

“I felt we were the better team for most parts of the semifinals, but the Germans executed perfectly moments before the final hooter,” Hardik said. 

“Call it bad luck or whatever, we also had to play without Amit Rohidas, who was red-carded during the quarterfinal against Britain. For a day after that semifinal, the entire team was in a state of shock,” he added.

Despite the heartbreak, Hardik emphasized the importance of mental strength in bouncing back for the bronze medal match against Spain, which India won 2-1. “There was an opportunity to win a bronze medal, and we had to keep that belief in ourselves. We did not want to return empty-handed, and credit to the entire team for the kind of mental strength they showed to bounce back emphatically.”

Hardik, whose family has deep roots in Indian hockey, spoke about his motivation to continue building on the team’s recent successes. His father, Varinderpreet Singh Ray, is a former international player, and his uncle, Gurmail Singh, was part of the last Indian team to win Olympic gold in 1980. Hardik’s lineage also includes his aunt Rajbir Kaur, who won gold at the 1982 Asian Games, and his paternal uncle Jugraj Singh, renowned for his drag flicks.

Looking ahead, Hardik’s focus is on the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He emphasized the need for continuous preparation and adaptation to the evolving dynamics of global hockey. “The immediate focus is on winning the gold at the 2026 World Cup. We have a lot of time to prepare for that goal, and from there, pick the pace for the next two years. Along the way, there will be a few new additions to the side, but the core would more likely remain the same, so that is an advantage.”

Hardik also highlighted the importance of playing more international matches to stay sharp and competitive. “As far as preparing for the 2028 Games, there is no better test than playing real matches. For us as a team, the matches against the Netherlands just before the Paris Games helped a lot in assessing ourselves and making those last-minute changes.”

The return of the Hockey India League (HIL) is something Hardik is particularly excited about, as he believes it will help nurture the next generation of Indian hockey talent. “The return of the HIL could boost our bench strength with the emergence of some highly-skilled youngsters. All these youngsters could be groomed during the new Olympic cycle to ensure a smooth transition process going ahead.”

Hardik concluded by stressing the importance of patience and proper development for young players like Sanjay Rana and Jugraj Singh, who are being groomed as the next generation of India’s penalty-corner specialists. “It takes time, in 2016 we had the experience of Rupinder Pal Singh from whom Harman gained a lot, now we have an experienced Harman in that role but there might be off-days for anyone in sport. We have Sanjay and Jugraj in our squad now but they will also take some time to attain that level.”

As Indian hockey continues to build on this momentum, Hardik Singh remains committed to pushing the team towards greater achievements, driven by India’s legacy and future aspirations.