CHENNAI: Assuming the role of captaincy for Hockey India League outfit SG Pipers seems to have brought a new lease of life for one of India's top defenders Jarmanpreet Singh. From being forced to sit for two years due to a failed doping test in 2015 to winning bronze with India in the 2024 Paris Games, the 29-year-old has come a long way in life. The defender from Punjab is keen to help his team to put on an improved show as the league is set to begin in Chennai from Saturday. In a freewheeling chat with this daily, Jarmanpreet opened up about the challenges that he faced following the doping suspension and his preparations for this year amongst other topics. Excerpts...
On how the new-look Pipers team is blending with the new coach
I think this season, there has been a lot of changes in our team — new coach, new players and foreigners. I got the role to lead the team this time. Head coach Tim Oudenaller has a new style of playing. So, we are very excited to play. It is my first time working with him. He has given the players a lot of ideas. So, I think this is very good for our team and for the future. So the team will try to improve their performance from last year. We will try to come in the top four.
On new team director and former teammate PR Sreejesh
I think his experience will be very useful for the team. He has a very good experience of playing and he is a double Olympic medallist. He has been representing Indian Hockey for many years. I think he can help the team a lot, and he is doing it. It is good for the team to have such former players.
On serving the two-year dope ban
It might sound like it's just two years but it felt like a long period. You have to be mentally strong. My family helped a lot in my mental strength. During the ban, people kept asking again and again, 'What happened? Why aren't you playing in the Indian team? You were in the team just now. How did you come out?' When people get to know that I failed the dope test, they seem to have no knowledge of what a dope test means. They think that it is drugs. They start looking at you as if you are doing something wrong. But that time, I had my family with me. They supported me. They said, 'We are with you. Keep working hard. And, because it is two years, you need to be mentally strong. Otherwise, you quit.' So, I think my family has helped me a lot especially, when people tried to bring me down and when people tried to avoid me during practice.
I practised alone with my brother, Sandeep. He kept helping me till my ban got over. Technically, you can do as much as you want but, you need competition physically, you need to know how to manage defenses and you need attackers.
If I had any problem, Sandeep helped me. Even to this day, he helps me whenever I have a problem. Like a right arm, he is always with me. So from this two-year period I learnt a lot. I want to make the next generation aware of these things.
On the coming year with regards to Asiad & hockey World Cup
As an individual, I am trying to work on my skills. Because the upcoming year is big. Firstly, we will play the FIH Pro League immediately after HIL. In the HIL, you get a different type of competition. This will help players improve their individual skills. Then, there is the World Cup in which we have not won a medal for 50 years. So, we will try to bring it back. Otherwise we have the Asian Games, which will act as a qualifier to the Olympics. We have already started preparing for this. As a team, we are working very hard under head coach Craig Fulton. We recently went on a team bonding tour to South Africa which was very important for our team. Individually, I am trying to focus on my tackling and man-to-man marking. Attacking wise, I am trying my best to see how much I can help feed the players with passes.
On his village Rajdhan in Amritsar
There is no ground in my village. We are trying to build a ground. It is a dream for many to have a ground to play in. Those without the facilities there have to go far to play. The ground (one which he is trying to build) in the village will have a gym, a good track. This way, the children of the village and those from nearby villages can use that facility and can demonstrate their interests. The present generation is moving away from sports. So, if they have facilities and opportunities to play, they will definitely put their mobile phones away and come to the ground.
We are trying to push the government to help us make the ground. And I hope the work gets done soon. And, the government should definitely listen to this. Because, not having a ground in a player's village is a very shameful thing. I hope the government will pay attention to this and act upon it.
