Yuvraj Walmiki interview: "To play for my country is my ultimate dream and no amount of money can make me give that up"

For the young Yuvraj Walmiki, the hockey stick became the magic wand that helped him change his destiny. The boy who once wasn’t financially strong enough to own a hockey kit of his own, is now one of the main forward strikers of the Indian hockey team. Three months ago he almost faced tragedy again as he suffered a Grade 2 muscle tear, but he has bid farewell to all those injury woes. Now he has his eyes set on just one goal: playing for India in the Olympics. In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda correspondent Taruka Srivastav, Walmiki speaks about his comeback and what it means to be a part of the Olympics:

Q: You are making a comeback after three months, having suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury. Are you confident you have recovered completely?

Walmiki: Yes I recently gave a fitness test in Pune where the Indian hockey team had a camp. I am constantly working on my fitness because three months is a lot of time for any professional player to stay away from the game. I won’t say that I am at the peak of my fitness as I still need some more time to get into the playing rhythm, but yes I feel much much better now than I did just a couple of weeks ago. I don’t mean to boast, but I feel proud for recovering so well in such a short span of time.

Q: What did you do during your injury break?

Walmiki: Well, I was under a lot of medication and had some intense rehabilitation measures to undergo. I had to go through lots of MRI scans. I used to go to the physiotherapist regularly, but I must say those visits helped me a lot. I didn’t want to just stay in bed, so I hung out with my family, which was something that I really needed. I also read a few motivational books.

Q: You have been named to Indian hockey squad which leaves tonight for Malaysia to participate in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Are you fully prepared for the tour?

Walmiki: Yes, it feels great to be back to where I belong – in the Indian team. I did well in the fitness test and have been practising for a few weeks now. My goal now is to perform and give my best for the team. This is the last tournament before the Olympics and so is very crucial – the team for the Olympics will be decided once this tournament finishes.

Q: You were ruled out of the Olympic qualifiers after a few matches because of the injury. With that in mind, how much of a chance do you think you have of making it to the Indian squad which will participate in the London Olympics?

Walmiki: I was devastated when I came to know that the injury was serious, but I kept calm and focused on how I could recover quickly. Yes, I am hopeful of making it to the Olympics; I have been doing really well with my preparation lately. Injuries are something very common to us players and they are beyond our control. But I am fully fit now and am eagerly looking forward to play and give my hundred percent. To represent the country in the Olympics is a dream for every player and I am positive that my dream of playing there will be fulfilled.

Q: From living in a shanty with no electricity to achieving stardom by playing in the Indian team – it has been quite a journey. What has been the biggest motivation behind your success?

Walmiki: I would say without hesitation that my parents have been my biggest motivation. They have sacrificed a lot to help me reach where I am today. I have faced lots of challenges in my life and I still continue to face them. I have been very strong mentally and I always knew that if I worked hard enough I would make it to the Indian team. Playing for Air India was the turning point in my life as I had great players playing alongside with me who helped me learn a lot. I gained a lot of confidence and got a chance to prove my potential.

Q: You were promised a flat by the Maharashtra government, and several other authorities promised various other benefits. Did everyone fulfil their promises?

Walmiki: Well, 95 percent of them have fulfilled their promises, but I am yet to get the flat. I have been in touch with the CM’s PA and he says it will be handed over to me soon. It’s been a year though and I still continue to live in my shanty. I am hoping for more support from my State as I am the only one who is in the Indian team from Maharashtra right now.

Q: You were offered good money to play for a particular team in the World Series Hockey but you declined the offer. Why did you do that?

Walmiki: Well firstly, WSH is not an official league, and none of the Indian team members were allowed to participate in it. Secondly, I was injured at that time. Lastly, to play for my country has been my ultimate dream and no amount of money can make me give that up. Those who did participate were banned from playing for India, and I couldn’t risk that.