It’s about balancing workload and rehab for Hardik

Hardik Singh, Indian subject hockey midfielder, throughout coaching at Sports activities Authority of India, NS Southern Centre Bangalore (SAI), inside Jnanabharathi Campus, off Mysuru highway, in Bengaluru.
| Picture Credit score: Okay. MURALI KUMAR

A key member of the Indian group that gained successive Olympics bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris, midfielder Hardik Singh is hanging a steadiness between his workload and rehab through the Hockey India League (HIL) right here.

Hardik, who damage his left shoulder after colliding with a Spanish participant within the fourth quarter of the bronze medal match on the Paris Olympics, missed the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China, and a two-Take a look at sequence in opposition to Germany in Delhi whereas recovering from the damage.

“I went via rehab for 4 months. I performed (a check occasion) with the event group (in Breda, the Netherlands). After the Olympics that is my first excessive tempo competitors, it has been going properly. There’s nonetheless some ache in my shoulder however I’m managing,” Hardik, coping with his second main damage, instructed The Hindu. Earlier than this, he suffered a hamstring damage in a pool match in opposition to England and was dominated out of the 2023 World Cup right here.

Regardless of the workload, the UP Rudras captain is giving sufficient consideration to his rehab. “When there’s no match, I concentrate on my remedy and rehab periods. On a regular basis, I spend half-an-hour with the physio and one hour for the rehab of my shoulder.”

Requested whether or not he would think about skipping some matches to guard his shoulder, the 26-year-old mentioned, “It’s not so unhealthy. I need to play all of the 12 matches (together with a semifinal and the ultimate/bronze medal match). I’ll see how my shoulder responds.”

Because the Rudras suffered its first loss (in opposition to Hyderabad Toofans) after profitable two matches, Hardik adopted a sensible strategy. “It’s simple to level fingers at one another after a defeat. After the primary two matches, our gamers complimented one another for the nice work. We’re making an attempt out totally different mixtures. The principle job is to qualify for the highest 4 after which give 110 per cent,” mentioned Hardik.