Hockey India League 2024-25: Juggling rehab and captaincy, Hardik Singh hopes to seal top four spot for UP Rudras
Hockey India League 2024-25: Juggling rehab and captaincy, Hardik Singh hopes to seal top four spot for UP Rudras
A key member of the Indian team that won successive Olympic bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris, midfielder Hardik Singh is striking a balance between his workload and rehab during the Hockey India League (HIL) here.
Hardik, who hurt his left shoulder after colliding with a Spanish player in the fourth quarter of the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics, missed the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China, and a two-Test series against Germany in Delhi while recovering from the injury.
“I went through rehab for four months. I played (a test event) with the development team (in Breda, Netherlands). After the Olympics, this is my first high-tempo competition, and it has been going well. There’s still some pain in my shoulder but I’m managing,” Hardik, dealing with his second major injury, told Sportstar. Before this, he suffered a hamstring injury in a Pool match against England and was ruled out of the 2023 World Cup here.
Despite the workload, the UP Rudras captain is giving adequate attention to his rehab. “When there’s no match, I focus on my therapy and rehab sessions. Every day, I spend half an hour with the physio and one hour for the rehab of my shoulder.”
Asked whether he would consider skipping some matches to protect his shoulder, the 26-year-old said, “It’s not so bad. I want to play all 12 matches (including a semifinal and the final/bronze medal match). I’ll see how my shoulder responds.”
As Rudras suffered its first loss (against Hyderabad Toofans) after winning two matches, Hardik adopted a practical approach. “It’s easy to point fingers at each other after a defeat. After the first two matches, our players complimented each other for the good work. We’re trying out different combinations. The main job is to qualify for the top four and then give 110 per cent,” said Hardik.
