Moment of immense pride to be flagbearer: Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh

Indervir Grewal

Chandigarh, September 21

Harmanpreet Singh is used to carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. As the star drag-flicker of the team for the last five years, Harmanpreet has hogged the limelight whenever the Indian men’s hockey team takes the field. He has also grown accustomed to the pressure that comes with the spotlight. The weight of expectations has helped mould the 27-year-old into the leader he is today.

As the captain of the Indian team, Harmanpreet has led the Indian team by example. Harmanpreet, who made his senior team debut in 2015, is not just a goal machine but also the best defender in the team. His calm, yet inspiring, presence on the field has helped the Indian team achieve uncharacteristic consistency in the last couple of years.

As India starts its journey at the 19th edition of the Asian Games, Olympics medallist Harmanpreet will deservedly lead the 655-member contingent during the opening ceremony. Harmanpreet has been named as the country’s joint flagbearer alongside Olympics medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain. “Being named as the joint flagbearer alongside Lovlina is a moment of immense pride for me,” Harmanpreet said. “It is an opportunity to represent my country on an even larger scale, and I am truly humbled by this honour,” he said.