Gurjant Singh: Playing against top teams was great exposure for me

The 25-year-old credits teammates to ensure the energies are up at the national camp.

The Indian men's hockey team has been living in a bio-secure environment at the SAI centre in Bengaluru since August after a six-week break. Living in a bubble where the players are not permitted out of particular zones can be difficult but Gurjant Singh highlights that the effort has been made easy with teammates.

"It is not easy going about a set routine and living in a bio-bubble where moving around out of the permitted zones within the campus is prohibited. The rules are followed to the T and these circumstances can be challenging for any player. We couldn't have done it without the team-bonding we share and the support we have received from the coaching staff who themselves have not stepped out of the Campus since the last nine months. They have become our family away from home," expressed Gurjant Singh, who was part of the FIH Junior Men's World Cup winning team in 2016.

He further emphasized that this period has given him an opportunity to learn from his seniors and also understand the areas which he needs to pay more attention. The forward remarked, "I think as chief coach Graham Reid says, we need to make the most of the situation and utilize this time off the competition to introspect about our own game. I have in these past months tried to pinpoint the areas I am not up to the mark and I have also been speaking to other forwards in the group about right positioning and timing. Players like Sunil, Akashdeep, Ramandeep have all been quite helpful in this regard."

Though Gurjant Singh was part of the Indian team for the FIH Hockey Pro League earlier in the year, he feels a little more accuracy in his game can help him be a regular in the team.

"Playing against top teams like Belgium and the Netherlands was great exposure for me. I feel there is more that I can do in order to improve and execute my role to perfection. These next few months will be important for me and I hope I can prove my mettle ahead of the Olympic Games," he concluded.