Indian midfielder Vivek Sagar excited about his HIL debut

From watching it on a television set to making his debut in the coming Hockey India League (HIL), the 24-year-old two-time Olympian bronze medallist, Vivek Sagar Prasad is all set to play a major role for Soorma Hockey Club.

Terming it to be a dream come true, the ace Indian midfielder is looking forward to playing under his regular Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh along with other international players. Like his skipper, Prasad is also a Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) in Madhya Pradesh. “I have never played in this league, and it will be my debut this year. I am excited to play in such a format having both national and international players,” said an elated Prasad. On having a maximum number of DSPs in the team, he said “...Yes, it makes us exceptional, isn’t it?”

The ace halfback is expecting to make his HIL debut on December 29 against Tamil Nadu Dragons.

Talking about his role in the coming league, the Madhya Pradesh player said the event would be an exceptional experience and important in terms of carrying the responsibility of being a midfielder. “As a midfielder, my presence is equally needed in both defending and attacking. Playing for India is entirely different, as we practise together and know about each other’s strengths. Here, we have a mix of players...some very senior international players will be sharing the field with me. So, I have to have that kind of bond where I can freely play my natural game,” said Sagar.

In what could be the finest line-up of midfielders, Sagar will be having Belgian’s Victor Wegnez on his side along with Nicolas Poncelet and Dutch’s Jonas de Gues. He will have to strike a balance with ace Australian defender Jeremy Hayward and Indian ace player Harmanpreet Singh, followed by a similar equation with strikers Gurjant Singh and South Africa’s Dayaan Cassiem.

“It will not be easy to strike a balance, but this is where my experience will come to use. Indian players shuffle in straight directions, while foreigners like to shuffle across the field. However, the basic need will be to make a good eye contact to find the gaps. We have been training well, and I am hoping to have a good tournament ahead,” said Sagar. He further added, “We have been training hard and since it’s a revamped league, all teams will be new to its aura. The competition will surely be stiff, but we have an advantage of having good stability in the team,” he signed off.