Hockey Player Abhishek Says He’s Motivated To Work Harder After CWG Performance

"It was quite a memorable experience for me to perform on such a big stage," says Abhishek

Young forward Abhishek of the Indian Men's Hockey Team thinks the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was a significant learning experience for him. 

The 22-year-old striker started in all six games at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and was a constant threat to the opposing defense.

Abhishek had just made his debut earlier in the year in the FIH Pro League 2021/22 matches in February.  He participated in 14 FIH Pro League games and put up consistent performances, which led to his selection for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games squad.

"It was quite a memorable experience for me to perform on such a big stage. I learned a lot about my game during the tournament, and understood areas where I can improve upon," Abhishek, who also scored two goals in the Commonwealth Games 2022, shared his experiences performing on a grand stage.

"Our Chief Coach Graham Reid had already told me before in training sessions to enjoy the games and to not take too much pressure. This advice really helped me at Commonwealth Games 2022 as I was able to focus on my natural game and was able to play freely," he added.

"My teammates and coaches told me I performed well considering it was my first major tournament of such scale. There are still a few areas where I have to improve upon, and the Commonwealth Games 2022 experience has motivated me to work even harder to fulfill those shortcomings."

India competed impressively throughout the tournament, defeating Ghana 11-0 in their opening Pool B encounter. A 4-4 tie against England, an 8-0 victory over Canada, and a 4-1 victory over Wales. India secured a position in the Semi-Finals by defeating South Africa with a 3-2 victory.

On August 29, the Indian Men's Hockey team will return to the National Coaching Camp in Bengaluru and start preparing for the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 season.

"We all are really eager to return to training and prepare ourselves for the upcoming competitions. We all want to improve as a team, and with the World Cup next year, everyone wants to be in the best shape and form in the coming months," he concluded.