CHENNAI: Lalit Upadhyay has played a lot of hockey for India, including the recent crowning moment of the men's team, the bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But it's the chance to play with the players coming through the ranks that excites him the most. And he is taking that responsibility as a senior player while representing Uttar Pradesh in the 13th Hockey India Senior Men's National Championship in Chennai.
"It is important for Indian hockey," Upadhyay told this daily during an interaction on the sidelines of the nationals. "The upcoming and young players can learn a lot by looking at the senior international players and they are getting that opportunity through this tournament. They can see what they can achieve in hockey by playing alongside the senior players. And for the players representing the national team, it feels good to represent our states because we generally don't get those opportunities."
The Senior National Championship is being held in the city after the Indian team's unbeaten run in the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asian Games in Hangzhou. The gold medal in the continental event, helped India secure the quota for the Paris Olympics in 2024. Upadhyay believes the dominant performance was the result of the preparation that went into those two events as they were aiming for the podium finish.
"Before the Asian Games, we knew the Olympic quota was on the line and we went step by step in the competition as well. Winning the medal is always the priority going into any tournament. If we look at the bigger picture of dominating the world hockey, first, we have to prove ourselves in Asia. Keeping all of this in perspective, winning the gold in the Asian Games was important for us. I wouldn't say it was not a relief, because once you put on that India jersey you have that fire within that helps you improve every day and do better for the country. We celebrate once we achieve the target but that fire keeps burning for the next challenge," the 29-year-old forward was candid in his response.
And he has kept that fire burning in him since the historic bronze medal, which he believes started the new era in Indian hockey. Reflecting on the past, which has seen highs and lows since before the independence, Upadhyay laid down his own perspective about the legacy this generation of hockey players is carrying.
"Hockey has seen many golden years in the past. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate that we get the opportunity to carry forward that glorious legacy of Indian hockey. If we were to only listen to those stories and not add anything to them from our side, what's the point? We are receiving all kinds of support for the game, so it becomes our responsibility to perform our best. I think that is why winning that bronze medal in the Olympics was crucial for us. We know expectations have raised and we will try our best to better the colour of the medal in Paris," he said while paying his tribute to the past generations and expressing his hopes for 2024.
If India is hoping to convert their bronze from Tokyo to gold, they will need Upadhyay to play his role in the lead-up to the tournament and during it as well. And for a player with more than 150 caps for India, it's the team around him and the experience he has gained over the last nine years that keeps him going.
"Experience is not just about the matches we play. It's the mix of the mentality, injuries we go through, the time we are away from the game, and whatnot. We are very proud to be part of Indian hockey. I think I have been very fortunate to be part of great teams supported by some inspirational support staff. And the success comes through the collective efforts of everyone who is part of Hockey India. I have had an amazing journey with this team. I hope it continues the same way," he added.
As a senior player for his state team, Uttar Pradesh, Upadhyay is hoping for a podium finish in the senior national tournament. With the mix of youth and experienced players in the squad, he has renewed hope for the team. "As far as our team in the competition is concerned, we hope to have a podium finish. And we want our young players to get involved more in these situations as they are the ones who will represent India in the future. But at the same time, we don't want to pressurize them. It is also a litmus test for the international players who are about to take part in national camps.
"We do have a few youngsters who are playing in their first nationals. My message for them is very clear. Enjoy your hockey and don't think too much about the mistakes you make. This is your learning age and we have all been through it. The best part of the nationals is that it is a platform for the upcoming players to become part of the Indian hockey team. It's their chance to grab this opportunity," he signed off.