HIL GC skipper Hardik Singh insists captaincy is more about empowering others than oneself

Hardik Singh, captain of the Hockey India League Governing Council (HIL GC) and one of India’s finest midfielders, has placed the onus squarely on the Indian youngsters if his side is to challenge for the title.

“If our juniors are going to play at their 70 to 80 per cent in every match, we have a really good chance of winning the tournament. Yes, we want to play the final, show everyone what Hockey India has done for us, and repay that trust by winning the title,” Hardik told Sportstar on Saturday.

The 27-year-old two-time Olympic bronze medallist from Tokyo and Paris said his main responsibility as captain would be to make the young players feel comfortable while ensuring senior and overseas players adapt.

“It’s all about how we make our juniors comfortable tactically. Senior players can adjust more easily. It’s similar to the senior national team, where experienced players adapt rather than asking juniors to change,” he explained.

Hardik said he would apply lessons learned under Dutch coach Paul van Ass, who earlier coached UP Rudras before the franchise was taken over by the HIL GC.

“Paul mostly spoke about mindset. He always said, ‘Don’t worry about the past or turnovers. Focus on the next action—that’s the most important,” he said.

Hardik confirmed that German striker Thies Prinz has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury but backed Ireland’s Daragh Walsh as his replacement. “He is one of the best attacking midfielders in the Ireland team and has played all over the world,” he said.

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Hardik insisted this is the best chance for the Indian team to win the World Cup to be held in August next year. “The arrival of Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, and Rajinder Singh has done a world of good for India. They are all experienced and dangerous now,” he said. 

The only advice, Hardik said, he would like to give his young players is to try and learn some new things. “And even if you don’t get the time you want in the match, you still have to show up in the training and prove that you deserve to be a part of the team,” he said. 

The captaincy role is one that Hardik loves to don. “I always wanted to lead the team. And I was always ready to be in this role where you have to do some good and some harsh things. I guess for me, captaincy is something where you are going to help others rise. It’s not always about you. And whenever the team loses, it’s your fault. But whenever the team wins, it’s the team’s win.“

In this photo, Vikram Pillay, currently the only Indian head coach in the men’s Hockey India League, can be seen playing for the country in the six-nation Champions Trophy in 2005.
| Photo Credit:
VINO JOHN

On Vikram Pillay, the lone Indian head coach in HIL, Hardik said, “I was part of the Air India camp in the 2016 Senior Nationals, though I was not part of the team. I know him very, very well. He knows the demands of modern international hockey,” said Hardik. 

The Indian team’s prime focus will be to do well in the FIH Pro League in Australia in February 2026, he said. “After our FIH Pro League matches in Bhubaneswar, we will travel to Australia, where we will play matches with the host and Spain. That’s the first thing we’re going to focus on. And then we’re going to keep doing all the right things and see how the team goes,” Hardik said.

Published on Dec 27, 2025