It has been a surreal experience, says Indian forward Araijeet Singh Hundal

The Indian men’s hockey team has had a pretty good outing in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24 so far with two wins in regulation time, two wins in shootout, one loss in regulation time and a loss to the Netherlands in shootout that took place on February 21. 

In yet another nail-biting encounter, India, trailing 0-1 at half-time against the Netherlands, came back to level the score and took the game into a shootout, which it lost 2-4.

Araijeet Singh Hundal and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay were on target for India during the shootout against the Netherlands.

Araijeet is a recent addition to the senior Indian squad. “It has been a surreal experience. Competing against top-tier teams such as the Netherlands and Australia, receiving encouragement from both seniors and the coach, is genuinely delightful, and it has also been a valuable learning experience for me,” said the young forward.

READ | FIH Pro League: India loses 2-4 to Netherlands in shootout after stalemate

When asked about the guidance provided by his senior teammates, the 20-year-old forward from Punjab shared, “They advised me to keep an open mindset, play freely, and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on myself.”

“I would like to thank the coach for providing me with the opportunity to take the shot. I would also like to thank my seniors for encouraging me before I stepped up. It helped me with my nerves.”

“I am glad that my shot was on target as it certainly helped boost my confidence in my game,” he concluded.

India will next play Australia on Saturday at 7:30 PM IST.