Huddled together in bright pink and blue jerseys, members of the India men’s hockey team cheered and laughed, giving their two cents on what move to make next. This was no hockey match or training sesh, but a chess master class conducted by former International chess player and co-owner of American Gambits Prachura P Padakannaya at the Sports Authority of India’s complex in Malathahalli.
As we take a brisk walk from the conference room to the complex’s mess, captain Harmanpreet Singh shares a fond memory of playing chess with his wife, Amandeep Kaur, even though, in his words, they ‘were quite bad’. They don’t get to play much anymore as Singh explains with a laugh, “My daughter doesn’t let us play. She picks pieces up and throws them away to disturb us.”
Singh and the team are in Bengaluru fresh off their Asia Cup win against South Korea last month, preparing for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scheduled for November in Malaysia. The win came after an eight-year Asia Cup drought for the team with the pressure to perform tangible. Recalling what facing the South Korean team at such a crucial juncture was like, the captain says, “Our league match against Korea was a draw because even though we knew we’re the best team in Asia, everything can change depending on the situation. But we knew we could do better and in the last match, whatever opportunities we had, we turned them into goals.”
Right now, the team is working on weak areas that the Asia Cup matches shone a light on, as Singh explains, “We were struggling in the Asia Cup league matches. We are learning from those mistakes and working on improving the defense.”
As captain, Singh has been credited with ushering in a new era for the team. Fondly called ‘sarpanch sahab’ by fans, Singh has captained the team to wins in the 2022 Asian Games, a bronze in the 2024 Olympics, and now the Asia Cup. His style of captaincy seems to be a mix of genuine care and tough love. “You have to look after your teammates – if they’re fit enough or if they’re struggling with something. And of course before or during the match, the words you say to your teammates matter a lot. I’m also a little aggressive because it’s important to motivate the team. Small things like team bonding outside of matches also matters, and the coach and I are always thinking of ways to improve it,” he explains.
He doesn’t let defeat get him down either, replying with a brief “Don’t overthink it,” when asked how he deals with disappointment. He adds, “What’s in the past is in the past. If we’re not doing well I analyse things and think about how we can improve. But if mistakes are happening, I don’t overthink them during the match.”
On a personal front, 2025 has been a happening year for Singh, who received the Khel Ratna earlier this year. “Immediately after I got the news, I spoke to my wife and teammates. They were happy. It was a proud moment for me and my family,” he says with a smile. But his next goal, both personally and professionally is the hockey world cup happening next year. He says, “It’s been 50 years [since India won] so our aim is to make sure we are ready on the field.”
