After an impressive debut at the Nationals, Haryana’s Rajinder looks to adapt to international hockey with India A

Despite a bitter end to his fortnight in Chennai, Rajinder Singh has little time for reflection, as he boarded a flight on Sunday morning for the India A tour of the Netherlands and Belgium.

Rajinder, Haryana’s engine in the middle of the park with non-stop running, helped his team to the silver medal in the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2024 at Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium on Saturday after a 1-5 loss to Odisha.

The midfielder from Sirsa district of Haryana controlled the tempo of his team in possession, led its press, and displayed some sublime passing skills on his national championship debut campaign.

Touted as one of the future stars of the Indian midfield, the 21-year-old displayed maturity on the ball and great determination off it. He has even impressed the India head coach Craig Fulton, who gave Rajinder his first senior cap in the recently concluded India – Germany Test series.

“Rajinder and a few others got their first international caps and now we are taking them on a tour as a part of India A. He’s a bundle of energy, works really hard and has good potential. We need to cultivate these sorts of players,” said Fulton on the sidelines of senior nationals to  Sportstar.

Influence of a new hockey stick and a former India captain

Hailing from Sant Nagar village, hockey became a part of life by chance for the son of a land-owning farmer. The allure of a brand-new hockey stick was the main reason Rajinder joined the Namdhari Academy in 2014.

“I joined the academy to get a new (hockey) stick. My cousin went there first and got a stick and when I saw it I also wanted to get one. But later I started to enjoy playing with my friends. In our village, everyone plays hockey,” says Rajinder after the final.

Hailing from the same village as former India captain Sardar Singh, his transition to becoming a central midfielder like his hometown hero was also a coincidence.

Rajinder initially played in various positions at Namdhari. However, his coach, Harwinder Singh, saw his potential in midfield, a role that allowed him to influence the game’s pace and direction.

Inspired by Sardar’s game, Rajinder dedicated himself to mastering this position. “(Sardar) Paaji is the pride of our village. As youngsters, we all wanted to play like him and represent India. The way he used to control the game inspired me to become a midfielder,” recollects Rajinder.

In his formative years, Sardar was absent from his village as he was busy with the rigours of international hockey. However, just after he retired from international hockey, the world came to and standstill during the COVID-19-induced pandemic.

Sardar came back to Sant Nagar and started to pass on his knowledge to the youngsters in the academy and during that time, Rajinder got the chance to absorb knowledge from his hero, who became his mentor.

It’s not only the former India international’s midfield mastery that captivates him. Rajinder, an ardent fan of Manchester City is also inspired by Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne’s vision and game awareness.

“I love watching De Bruyne play. His vision, his passing, especially the way he reads the game and executes passes without taking that extra second,” explains Rajinder.

Mix-up at the HIL auction

With four goals in the nationals, including three from penalty corners, the youngster showcased why Hyderabad Toofans secured him for a hefty Rs 23 lakh during the Hockey India League (HIL) auction.

However, Rajinder’s moment of reckoning began with an error.

While submitting his entry for the HIL auctions, Rajinder mistakenly chose Rs 2 lakh as the base price instead of Rs 5 lakh. By the time the players with a base price of Rs 5 lakh were picked, Rajinder — who was at the national camp in Bengaluru — feared he’d go unpicked.

“I was checking the teams, just to see how many slots were left for midfielders. There were a lot of players in the 2 lakh bracket that I was concerned that my name would come too late,” adds the youngster, who is built like a tank.

Rajinder is extremely excited to get into the Toofans camp, where an all-German coaching staff will lead the team. The youngster is especially thrilled to play alongside his other hero, Gonzalo Peillat.

The 32-year-old Argentine-tuned-Germany international is one of the best drag-flickers in the world and Rajinder hopes to pick his brain on all aspects of the game.

Hopes of adapting to international hockey

It’s not only Rajinder’s physicality, game awareness and work ethic that sets him apart. It is his mental fortitude that makes him special. A fan of Kobe Bryant, Rajinder keeps on reading the former NBA star’s book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, seeking inspiration to fuel his own pursuit of excellence.

“He’s (Rajinder) mentally very strong. He’s not one of those who takes criticism personally; instead, he gets up and immediately begins working on it. He’s extremely driven and has the mindset to improve himself every day,” says Haryana coach Sandeep Sangwan.

Despite finishing second-best in the tournament, the Haryana youngster was quick to admit what went wrong in the final. “Obviously I’m disappointed with the loss but we have to accept it. We failed to take our chances and Odisha did. It was not our day. We all need to learn from this,” declares the midfielder.

Due to his selection for the Sultan of Johar Cup 2023, Rajinder was unable to participate in last year’s senior national championships. On his inaugural senior national campaign, he comments, “This turf is very fast and with Chennai’s humidity it was a very tough challenge for me as I like to run non-stop.”

After getting his first senior international cap, the boy from Sirsa aims to establish himself in the senior setup and wants to improve his game as he aims to adapt to the faster pace of international hockey.

“The pace difference is very high in junior and senior international hockey. I have to work on my receiving and passing, especially running overheads which are very effective,” concludes Rajinder.

As Indian hockey looks ahead to the next Olympic cycle, the Haryana prodigy aims to cement his place in the national team and become an Olympian like his hero.