Hardik Singh

{{Infobox field hockey player

| name = Hardik Singh

| image = Hardik Singh.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Singh in August 2022

| full_name = Hardik Singh Rai

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|9|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Khusropur, Jalandhar district,
Punjab, India{{cite news |last1=Sahni |first1=Jaspreet |title=Hockey World Cup: Hardik Singh - From ball boy to World Cup |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/hockey/hockey-world-cup/hockey-world-cup-hardik-singh-from-ball-boy-to-world-cup-player/articleshow/66705314.cms |accessdate=14 July 2019 |work=The Times of India |date=21 November 2018}}

| height = 1.76 m{{cite web |title=SINGH Hardik |url=https://www.worldcup2018.hockey/men/players/singh-hardik__70516__4212 |website=www.worldcup2018.hockey |publisher=International Hockey Federation |accessdate=15 July 2019}}

| weight =

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Indian Oil Corporation

| clubs1 = Petroleum Sports Promotion Board

| years1 =

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| clubs2 = Indian Oil Corporation

| years2 =

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| nationalyears1 = 2014

| nationalteam1 = India U21

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2018–

| nationalteam2 = India

| nationalcaps2 = 149

| nationalgoals2 = 11

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

}}

Hardik Singh (born 23 September 1998) is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a midfielder for the Indian national team.{{cite web |title=HARDIK SINGH |url=http://hockeyindia.org/team/hardik-singh.html |website=hockeyindia.org |publisher=Hockey India |accessdate=15 July 2019 |archive-date=27 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727135953/http://hockeyindia.org/team/hardik-singh.html |url-status=dead }}

Early life

Singh's father was Varinderpreet Singh Rai, who works as a police officer, played for India. His grandfather Preetam Singh Rai was a hockey coach with the Indian Navy.{{cite news |last1=Das |first1=Tanmay |title=Hockey World Cup: 'Home' support for Hardik Singh |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/hockey-world-cup/2018/dec/01/home-support-for-hardik-1905823.html |access-date=14 July 2019 |work=The New Indian Express |date=1 December 2018}} Hardik played hockey as a youngster in his village Khusropur under the tutelage of his grandfather. Like his uncles Gurmail Singh and Jugraj Singh, both former internationals, Hardik began playing as a defender in the wings. He took up hockey seriously in 2012 and joined the Punjab Institute of Sports Academy in Mohali before moving to Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar.{{cite web |last1=Unnikrishnan |first1=Dilip |title=CWG 2022, Hockey: Hardik hungers for gold |url=https://scroll.in/field/1028832/cwg-2022-hockey-hardik-hungers-for-gold |website=Scroll.in |access-date=5 April 2024 |date=23 July 2022}}

Hardik's aunt Rajbir Kaur also played internationally for India while her husband Gurmail Singh was a part of gold-medal-winning Indian team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics{{cite news |title=Vice-captain Hardik Singh is fifth in family to win laurels in hockey |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/vice-captain-hardik-singh-is-fifth-in-family-to-win-laurels-in-hockey/303607.html |accessdate=14 July 2019 |work=The Tribune |date=1 October 2016}} Hardik is a fifth-generation hockey player in the family.{{cite web |title=Fighting spirit behind India hockey team's resurgence: Hardik |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/fighting-spirit-behind-india-hockey-teams-resurgence-hardik-1502977537.html |website=The Statesman |access-date=5 April 2024 |language=en |date=30 June 2021}} He regards his uncle Jugraj Singh as his mentor, and credits him for persuading Hardik to stay back when he decided to move to the Netherlands after opportunities in India seemed to dry up for him as an 18-year-old.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

International career

=2018–2022: Debut and Olympics bronze=

After becoming the vice-captain of the Indian junior team, Singh made his senior international debut at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy held in Muscat.{{cite web |title='Next two months crucial for the team', says Indian Men's Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh |url=http://asiahockey.org/news/next-two-months-crucial-for-the-team-says-indian-mens-hockey-team-captain-harmanpreet-singh |website=Asian Hockey Federation |access-date=5 April 2024}} His first match was India's opening fixture against Oman on 18 October; India won 11–0.{{cite news |title=Indian Men's Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 campaign |url=https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/indian-mens-hockey-team-beat-hosts-oman-11-0-to-start-5th-mens-hero-asian-champions-trophy-2018-campaign |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=Hockey India |date=19 October 2018 |language=en}} Finalists India and Pakistan were declared joint-winners after the match was abandoned due to rain.{{cite news |title=Asian Champions Trophy: India, Pakistan declared joint winners after final called-off due to rain |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/hockey/top-stories/asian-champions-trophy-india-pakistan-declared-joint-winners-after-final-called-off-due-to-rain/articleshow/66407057.cms |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=The Times of India |date=29 October 2018}}

Singh was included in India's squad for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.{{cite news |title=Hockey India Announces Men's squad for Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 |url=https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/hockey-india-announces-mens-squad-for-tokyo-olympic-games-2020 |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=Hockey India |date=18 June 2021 |language=en}} He scored his first goal of the competition in the quarter-final against Great Britain. Singh's 57th-minute counter-attacking goal helped India secure a 3–1 win, and an entry into the medal-round for the first time since the 1980 Moscow Olympics.{{cite news |title=Tokyo 2020: Hardik Singh's counter-attack goal seals India's place in semi-final |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/olympics/tokyo-2020-india-mens-hockey-team-beat-great-britain-3-1-qualify-for-semi-finals-743343 |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=The Indian Express |date=1 August 2021 |language=en |url-access=subscription}} A semi-final loss to Belgium was followed by bronze-medal finish after a win against Germany. Singh scored once in the eventual 5–3 win.{{cite news |author=Scroll Staff |title=Tokyo 2020, men's hockey: India beat Germany to win bronze, end 41-year wait for Olympic medal |url=https://scroll.in/field/1002078/tokyo-2020-mens-hockey-india-beat-germany-to-win-bronze-end-41-year-wait-for-olympic-medal |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=Scroll.in |date=5 August 2021}} He scored off a loose ball from a penalty corner in the second quarter to give his team a 2–1 lead.{{cite web |last1=Unnikrishnan |first1=Dilip |title=CWG 2022, Hockey: Hardik hungers for gold |url=https://scroll.in/field/1028832/cwg-2022-hockey-hardik-hungers-for-gold |website=Scroll.in |access-date=5 April 2024 |date=23 July 2022}}

In the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Singh was a part of the India team that finished second. His team had an undefeated run leading up to the final, where they lost 7–0 to Australia. He recalled the game being "a big test" for him and that he wanted to "focus more on controlling the tempo of the game and build on leadership qualities."{{cite news |title="The Final against Australia is a big lesson ahead of the World Cup," says Hardik Singh |url=https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/the-final-against-australia-is-a-big-lesson-ahead-of-the-world-cup-says-hardik-singh |access-date=6 April 2024 |work=Hockey India |date=24 August 2022 |language=en}} At the Hockey India Awards, Singh was awarded the Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year for 2022.{{cite news |title=Hardik Singh and Savita win the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2022 |url=https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/hardik-singh-and-savita-win-the-hockey-india-balbir-singh-sr-award-for-player-of-the-year-2022 |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=Hockey India |date=17 March 2023 |language=en}}

=2023–present=

Singh was named in India's squad for the 2023 World Cup. In its profiling, ESPN called him "India's engine in the middle of the park. Non-stop running leads India's pressing, and sublime passer."{{cite web |title=Know Your Team: Meet India's 18-member squad for Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 |url=https://www.espn.in/field-hockey/story/_/id/35419255/meet-india-squad-hockey-world-cup-2023-harmanpreet-sreejesh |website=ESPN |access-date=5 April 2024 |language=en |date=13 January 2023}} He scored in India's opening game against Spain in a 2–0 win.{{cite news |title=Hockey World Cup highlights: India beat Spain 2-0 in opener |url=https://www.espn.in/field-hockey/story/_/id/35436869 |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=ESPN |date=13 January 2023 |language=en}} In the next group stage match, against England, Singh sustained a hamstring injury leading him to miss the rest of the tournament.{{cite news |title=India suffers setback as injured Hardik Singh is ruled out of FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/india-suffers-setback-as-injured-hardik-singh-is-ruled-out-of-fih-hockey-world-cup-2023/articleshow/97195310.cms |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=The Economic Times |date=21 January 2023}} In July that year, Singh played his 100th match for India, against England, in the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation tournament in Barcelona, Spain.{{cite news |title=Hockey India congratulates Hardik Singh on completing 100 international appearances |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/hockey/hockey-india-congratulates-hardik-singh-on-completing-100-international-appearances20230728211633 |access-date=5 April 2024 |agency=Asian News International |date=28 July 2023}}

Singh was part of the side that finished first in both the Asian Champions Trophy and the Hangzhou Asian Games, both played in 2023. Recognizing his performances in these successes, Singh was awarded the FIH Player of the Year (Male).{{cite web |title=India hockey star Hardik Singh focuses on team play for Olympics success |url=https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talking-point/hockey-hardik-singh-paris-olympics-111712042534009.html |website=Mintlounge |access-date=5 April 2024 |language=en |date=3 April 2024}}