Former captain and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has high hopes from skipper Harmanpreet Singh at the Paris Olympics, saying if the star drag-flicker is on song there is no reason why the country cannot change the colour of the medal at the quadrennial showpiece event. India had defeated Germany to clinch the bronze medal after 41 years at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Expectations are high from the Harmanpreet-led side to better its performance at the Paris Games, starting July 26.

“I have full faith in (goalkeeper PR) Sreejesh and in all the young players in the team. Five players are going to make their debut at the Olympics but they too have good experience of international hockey.

“We are expecting a lot from captain Harmanpreet, he is a world-class drag-flicker. If he gets going there in nothing to worry,” Tirkey said on the sidelines of an event ‘Glory of Five Rings’, organised by Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, where the likes of former women’s hockey skipper Rani Rampal and ex-world champion trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, among others were also present.

“…everything falls upon the drag-flickers who will have to be at their best. If our drag-flickers are on song, nothing can stop us. Having said that, it is not that we haven’t scored field goals,” he added.

The Indian hockey team will have the services of renowned South African mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton during the Paris Olympics.

Upton, who played a role in India winning the 2011 Cricket World Cup, will be a part of the support staff of the country’s men’s hockey team and had recently organised a three-day gruelling camp at adventurer Mike Horn’s base in Switzerland before heading to Paris via the Netherlands.

The former defender, who represented India at three Olympics, also stressed on the importance of being strong mentally in a sporting extravaganza like the Olympics.

“Conceding goals in the last minute has troubled us a lot in the last few years but, of late, we have noticed vast improvement in this area. And for the last 1-2 years, we have kept a mental conditioning coach with the team and this has made a difference.

“Sometimes in matches, if the performance of a player is not that good it affects them. So, mental training is very important keeping this in mind,” Tirkey said.

“Before a match in the Olympics we need to be fully prepared mentally. I am confident that the training programme of mental training coach and all other support staff will yield results in Paris.” He also stressed on the need to have a solid defensive line.

“Defending short corners is also very important. In the last Olympics, you might have noticed how strong Amit Rohidas was in defence, so we have to focus on this area as well.” The HI chief said that with an experienced head coach in Craig Fulton at the helm, there is no reason why India can’t change the colour of the medal in Paris.

“The team has already reached Paris. Our first match is against New Zealand on July 27. We had a very good performance in the last Asian Games. Head coach Fulton has vast experience. He was the coach of the Belgium team and also coached Olympic and World Cup-participating teams.

“The team has gained a lot of confidence under his coaching. Every player knows that at the last Olympics we won a medal after a long time and this time we can change the colour of the medal,” Tirkey said.

India are placed in a tough pool alongside Australia, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland.

“In the Olympics there are 12 team, six each in two pools. It is not something that we can’t beat top teams like Australia and Belgium. It is simple… the players have to do their duties in their specific roles on that given day. The team must be fit and we are one of the fittest teams,” a confident Tirkey said.

India will begin its campaign on July 27 against New Zealand, followed by Argentina (July 29), Ireland (July 30), Belgium (August 1) and Australia (August 2).

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