From the time that Harmanpreet Singh made his debut for the Indian team, there was something special about him. A rock-solid defender with equal amounts of passion and aggression, he made a steady ascent to being the captain of the team.
However, the feature that stood out in Harmanpreet’s game was his drag-flicking. The 30-year-old has scored 291 goals in 264 matches according to FIH’s website. He was also the leading goalscorer in the Paris Olympics 2024, where India won the bronze medal.
The rise of Harmanpreet thrills Jugraj Singh a lot, who has worked closely with the Indian captain. Jugraj himself was one of the best drag flickers of his generation before a car accident ended his career in 2003.
After that, Jugraj did work with the senior team briefly, where he could see Harmanpreet blossom into one of the best drag-flickers in the game.
The Indian icon now tells PTI that he sees a reflection of himself in Harmanpreet.
“His style is exactly like mine. His playing style and aggression remind me of myself. I see my reflection in him,” Jugraj said.
“I even tell him, ‘You are playing,’ and I feel like I am on the field.”
Jugraj feels that Harmanpreet is easily in the top three bracket for drag-flickers in the world and called him the trump card for the upcoming Hockey World Cup.
“Harmanpreet is currently one of the top three drag-flickers in the world. He has been playing brilliantly since the Tokyo Olympics. A player who consistently performs well when the team needs him is a ‘trump card’, and I think that player will be Harmanpreet,” Jugraj told PTI in an interview.
“He has also worked hard on his fitness,” he added.
Jugraj has followed Harmanpreet’s progress from close quarters, regularly connecting with the India captain after major tournaments and national camps to discuss his performances and offer his perspective.
“From outside, I am able to note a lot of things and guide him. Of course, the coaching staff must be doing this too, but I have worked with Harman for a long time,” he said.
WHAT MAKES HARMANPREET SO SPECIAL?
Jugraj has followed Harmanpreet’s progress from close quarters, regularly connecting with the India captain after major tournaments and national camps to discuss his performances and offer his perspective.
For Jugraj, one of Harmanpreet’s defining qualities is his hunger to improve, with the India captain continuing to seek new lessons despite everything he has already accomplished.
“It is also a special quality of his that he is always eager to learn and seek guidance. Even after winning two Olympic medals, including one under his captaincy, he remains grounded. He is one-in-a-generation player,” he said.
India will start their World Cup campaign against Wales on August 15.
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