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After winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and a gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, the Indian hockey team is currently eyeing top accolades at the Paris Olympics 2024. The current squad, which was training in Switzerland, has now moved to Netherlands and will play a few training games there.
The squad has a beautiful amalgamation of youth and experience. On one hand, there are players like goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and midfielder Manpreet Singh, who'll be appearing in their fourth Olympics, a record only held by the legendary Dhanraj Pillay till date.
There are a few debutants in the squad too. One such debutant, though with plenty of experience in his bag, is Abhishek. The forward had always dreamt of representing India at the Summer Games and this time the Craig Fulton-coached side will look upon 24-year-old to fetch some important goals whenever needed.
Prior to the Paris Olympics, Abhishek shared about his inspiration and delight for his maiden Summer Games appearance in an interaction with Hockey India.
Every athlete in this world looks upon someone and tries to seek inspiration from the same. For Abhishek, who is a forward in hockey, the inspiration comes from a footballer, who is perhaps one of the best the sport has ever produced - Cristiano Ronaldo. Shedding light on the same, Abhishek revealed:
“As a professional athlete, his mentality and approach to the game motivate me to play and train in a certain way. Watching him has inspired me to push my limits and strive for excellence.”
Speaking about making it to the grand stage, the forward said:
“Ever since I was 14, it has been my dream to play for India in the Olympics. This is a privilege and a responsibility that I take very seriously. I want to do my best and make the whole country proud,” he added.
On the support he has received from his family, the youngster quipped:
“It’s surreal for them. When I started doing well in hockey, the most we expected was a government job. So, seeing me reach this level is thrilling for them. My brother, especially, has always been my biggest supporter. My extended family and friends know I play for India, but we do not talk about hockey much.
"However, ahead of the Olympics, I’ve been getting so much love and wishes from them, encouraging me to do well for India. Everybody knows how important this is, that is the significance of the Olympics."
Is Abhishek under pressure?
Despite this being his maiden Olympics campaign, Abhishek is no a beginner in hockey. He has appeared 74 times for the national team and that too, in important competitions such as the FIH World Cup 2023, FIH Pro League, Commonwealth Games 2022 and the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023.
Speaking of the pressure and the team's mental conditioning camp in Switzerland, the 24-year-old said:
“The pressure in big tournaments doesn’t deter me or change my approach. I just try to execute on the pitch. After months of focusing on the physical aspect of the game, this camp is exactly what we needed. The team has been spending time connecting on and off the field, improving our bond, and learning to handle high-pressure situations better."
