When the 8th Hockey India annual awards was in full flow on Friday, March 27, the Indian men’s and women’s teams appeared with their special off-field jerseys. Amidst that crowd, it was sort of easy to spot Gurjant Singh.

He appeared to be standing out from the crowd in a simple Nehru jacket and his sharp looks. Many were wondering why he looked different to his teammates and the answer soon came. There was a brief pause in proceedings as Gurjant was called on to the dias and the announcement soon followed. The two-time Olympic medallist and one of the finest forwards in recent times decided to quit international hockey.

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Suddenly, a silence descended upon proceedings before Gurjant lightened up the mood with some laughs alongside his now former teammates, before saying that he was satisfied with his career.
With just 130 appearances to his name and 48 goals, Gurjant felt the time was right to call time on his career.

THE REASON

It is no secret that over the past one year or so, Gurjant has struggled to hold on to his place in the side. Most of it was down to injuries, with his back taking a toll after years of hockey. With the emergence of Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh, the 31-year-old’s place in the side was gone and he felt put his health ahead of the game.

“Actually I think last year when I was playing in the Pro League, I had a back injury. Even before that, around a month earlier in the gym, I had a back injury. Then I tried to restart a bit quickly and then back-to-back I got injured twice.”

“So that injury was such that it took me at least 7 to 8 months to recover. It was a long time. And in a team game, if you get injured and then come back and you have to perform at the same time when World Cup and games are just a few months away, I think there was a bit of confusion.”

“It was a serious injury and after that I didn’t feel like taking that risk again. Because the national team schedule is very busy, the training atmosphere is very high. Since it took so long to recover, I felt that maybe now I should retire from international hockey,” said Gurjant.

He promised to continue playing in the domestic circuit and the Hockey India League, but most importantly felt it was the right time and claimed that the stage was right.

‘WHY NOT LEAVE ON TOP’

It seemed only like yesterday when Gurjant came in as a young forward from the Jr. team and found instant success. His game was symbolised by his fast goals and it seemed like an artist was at work when he was making that run through the middle.

But, Gurjant believes that no matter how big of a player you are, retirement is inevitable.

“In a player’s life, this time comes for everyone. No matter how well you are playing, one day you have to face retirement,” said Gurjant.

But his mindset was something that felt just right. Leave the game at the top and with a smile on his face.

“My mindset was why not leave when you are playing well, performing well, with medals, instead of leaving with a major injury or performance issues where you go with disappointment. I think leaving happily is better,” said Gurjant.

HEART STAYS IN HOCKEY

While he will now focus on domestics and his government job back in Punjab, coaching isn’t something he will jump into at the moment. But his heart will never wander away from the Indian hockey teams. Now a fan of the team, Gurjant is hoping for World Cup and Asian Games glory for the side.

“A player’s mindset and heart always stays with the team. Whether you are retired or not, your mind always says that the team should win, Indian hockey should win.”

“So obviously even off the field, my mindset will be the same. I will support the team. There are two major tournaments coming up, so the hope is that the team performs well and brings medals,” said Gurjant.

– Ends

KL Rahul has long been regarded as one of the most dependable performers in the IPL, consistently delivering runs regardless of the franchise he represents. Over the years, he has been a pillar at the top of the order, combining composure with the ability to anchor an innings. However, the past couple of seasons have brought increased scrutiny, particularly around his strike rate, with questions raised about his approach in a format that demands constant acceleration.

The pressure has only intensified with Rahul being out of India’s T20I plans for nearly three to four years. His last appearance came during the 2022 T20 World Cup, and since then, he has been on the outside looking in, aiming to regain his place in the shortest format setup. Last season, Rahul made a conscious effort to address the criticism by adopting a more attacking style. The change was evident in his returns, as he scored 539 runs in 13 matches at an impressive average of 53.90, striking at 149.72. His tally included a century and three half-centuries, signalling a shift in intent while retaining his consistency.

Meanwhile, seasoned Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind the Delhi Capitals batter, saying he could have a big season if promoted to the top of the order. Ashwin also felt that a move to open the innings could put him in contention for the Orange Cap.

“There was a match against CSK, where KL Rahul played an exceptional knock on a two-paced pitch. Yet, they never opened with him again for a while after that. Make sure he opens this season. He will have the Orange Cap if he does. Have Pathum Nissanka open with him at the top. Just do these basic things and leave it to the players,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

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“By trying to do too much as a support staff, you can impact the team in unimaginable ways. Ashutosh Sharma produced one amazing knock, but it felt like he never played after that. Suddenly, Sameer Rizvi played a game,” he added.