Last Updated: January 12, 2024, 14:57 IST
Rupinder Pal Singh retired from hockey in 2021. (AFP Photo)
While admitting that defence of different groups have turn into robust, Rupinder Pal Singh says he labored on the fundamentals of girls workforce’s drag-flickers throughout his camp in SAI, Bengaluru, final month.
Penalty nook conversion has been a thorn within the flesh for the Indian ladies’s hockey workforce of late, and former star drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh feels the important thing to success from set items is to beat the primary rusher.
Former Indian males’s workforce drag-flick knowledgeable Rupinder had a five-day stint with the ladies’s facet to repair their penalty nook conversion woes forward of the FIH Olympic Qualifier starting right here on Saturday.
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After successful the Asian Champions Trophy right here, the Indians had wasted loads of penalty corners within the subsequent tournaments, together with the Asian Games.
While admitting that defence of different groups have turn into robust, Rupinder stated he labored on the fundamentals of girls workforce’s drag-flickers throughout his camp in SAI, Bengaluru, final month.
“In today’s hockey, the penalty corner defence of all teams have become very strong. It’s not like before. Gurjit (Kaur) and Deepika are very good drag-flickers and doing well. Both are experienced players. It depends on their planning on the day and how they execute that,” Rupinder advised PTI.
“The most important thing for a drag-flicker is to understand and execute plans on how to beat the first rusher. So, we have worked on a few variations on how to beat the first rusher during the camp.
“I didn’t want to change their style but I worked on their thinking before the match and on match situations. I mainly worked on their basics. The focus entirely was on basics,” he added.
Rupinder, who was one of many stars of India’s historic bronze medal-winning facet on the Tokyo Olympics, stop worldwide hockey in September 2021.
The 33-year-old, thought to be top-of-the-line drag-flickers of the nation, represented India in 223 matches. Nicknamed ‘Bob’, Rupinder scored 4 essential objectives in Tokyo, together with a penalty stroke within the third-place match towards Germany.
He might need stop worldwide hockey, however Rupinder nonetheless hopes to function within the subsequent Hockey India League, which is ready to be revived later this yr or early subsequent yr.
“I am still active although I have retired from international hockey. Recently I played in the Australian league and now looking for opportunities in other leagues,” he stated.
“I hope to play in the HIL but it depends on many factors. It is up to the teams whether they choose me or not. But I am actively training, working on my fitness.”
Rupinder, who has two Asian Games medals in his kitty — a gold on the Incheon Games in 2014 and bronze within the 2018 version in Jakarta, can also be actively concerned in teaching.
“I have been pursuing drag-flicking coaching as an expert after retirement,” he stated.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated news company feed – PTI)
Feroz KhanFeroz Khan has been masking sports activities for over 12 years now and is at the moment working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He launched into his journ…Read More
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