Punjab Police ooze confidence as new players join team

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service 

Jalandhar, October 20 

With the newly acquired power of seven international players, including six Olympians as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP), the Punjab Police are ready to set the eyes rolling in this season of the Surjit Hockey Tournament, which will commence from October 22 at Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Burlton Park.

While the team has won the tournament around a dozen times in its journey of 32 years, it got a huge setback in the last 10 years due to delay in recruitment. 

The Punjab Police, known as the guardians of the international hockey players in Punjab, have produced international players, including India’s former hockey captain Pargat Singh, SP Baljit Dhillon and SP Harpreet Singh Mandher. 

While the department formed its last hockey team in 1995, it went on and won over a dozen editions of the Surjit hockey Tournament. 

Later, after a lull of over 16 years, the department again recruited 11 international players as constables but the years after brought huge downfall for the team. 

However, with the recently recruited nine international players, including six DSPs and three sub-inspectors, the team is oozing immense confidence. 

The DSPs, including captain of the Indian national hockey team Manpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Gurvinder Chandi, Dharamvir Singh, a product of the famous Hawks Club of Ropar, Ramandeep Singh and Sarwanjit Singh, are part of the Indian national hockey team. 

Also, the newly recruited Sis, including penalty shootout specialist Jasjit Singh Kular, Harjot Singh and Harbir Singh, too have boosted the morale of the team. 

According to the team coach SI Surjit Singh, since all players are presently playing on the international turf, they are in full form and will set the ground on fire. 

“We have worked hard on the team coordination and the passes. We hope to revive the golden era of the Punjab Police in the international hockey,” said Surjit. 

Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, international player Gurbaj Singh said the tournament proves to be a litmus test for international players. 

“While three of our DSPs are away to play international matches, they will soon be joining us to play the tournament,” said Gurbaj, the most expensive Indian hockey player in the Hockey India League (HIL) auction held in 2017. 

HIL franchise Ranchi Rays, co-owned by MS Dhoni and Sahara, had splurged $99,000 (approx Rs 67 lakh) to sign Gurbaj Singh for the season.