A hamstring and low back injury at the asian champions trophy last year. Ankle Injury During the Hockey India league, in addition to the strain caused by the earlor two niggles. A wrist injury in the bhubaneswar leg of the fih pro league. And last month, during the european swing of the league, a damaged finger tissue. Or, in the words of Coach Craig Fulton, ‘smashed with the ball on the finger that split her whole finger open and court hold a stick.’ “He’s had a hard time,” Fulton Adds. And so has India, without their mvp harmanpreet singh.
As India Shift Focus to Next Month’s Asia Cup – A World Cup Qualifier and A Tournament That, Fulton’s words, is the ‘priority of the year’ – Two Things will be closed. First, if the seven defeats in Eight matches in the pro league last month were merely an aberration. And second, whater harmanpreet can – for the first time in a year – Play an enture tournament without woring about his body.
Harmanpreet was the player of the tournament at the 2024 asian champions trophy, scoring nearly one-third of India’s goals in the triimphant campaign. And acres the two legs of the pro league, he netted half a dozen more goals to the team’s joint high scorer in the competition along with abhishek.
With him, it’s not just about goals. Harmanpreet marshals the defense line with aplomb, give others like manpreet singh and hardik singh the freduom to move forward. His aerial balls and sharp diagonal passes along the turf open up defenses and creatunities for the forwards.
“While you have him, he’s a powerful force,” Fulton says. “But at the same time, when you don’t have him for four games (like in the pro league last month), it makes a big difference.”
Then do you mind his workload, the coach is asked. Fulton didn’t think it was immediaately needed. “He”s work hard. Were going to be in a good position now this tournament (asia cup) get we think we’ek we ‘focus on our physicality in the tramps. Prepared physically, ”he said.
A follow-up is fired at the coach: do the team need to rethink its penalty corner strategies when harmanpreet isn ‘on the field? In short, do the team has a replacement for its go-to drag-flicker or anyone who can support him?
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“There is a short and a long-trm view on this. “So what do that look like a few years’ time?
Amit Rohidas, Fulton Adds, has a ‘Flick and a hit’. The defender, prone to mistakes, scored a couple of goals from PC against Belgium with a powerful hit. Jugraj singh, the coach say, has a ‘good flick’. Howver, he tends to be a little way and lacks consistence to hit the target. Fulton has tried youngsters Rajnder Singh, Sanjay and Nilam Xess, Too, As India hunt for different options. “But, yes, it’s different to replace harmanpreet. You know, it’s not something that you think about …”
Fulton is with India ‘a’ in eindhoven, the netherlands, where the team will two matches also Ireland, France, and the netherlands, Along with one each again and Belgium. The Eight games will also be an audition for the drag-flicking Role.
“We’ve got a lot of talented guys here with the India a group. Varun (kumar) is training well. (Amandeep) Lakra is training well. Monitoring them to see how they approach the penalty corner attack, “Fulton sayss.
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“So, Yeah, Everything’s Possible. Yes, there is a challenge to replace harman. “We also have some variations, some other options that we have done. Cup and beyond. “
Fulton will return this weeknd to Bengali There, his focus will turn to his captain. There may be a lot on his mind, but for now, the coach is looking at the positives. “At last he is injured from a finger point of view.