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Only when there is competition will we improve our game, says star hockey goalkeeper Akash Chikte

Here's the complete low-down of the Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai’s Golden Jubilee awards function.

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India hockey goalkeeper Akash Chikte (centre) receives the best sportsman of the year award from state sports minister Vinod Tawde (2nd from left) at the SJAM Golden Jubilee awards function in Mumbai on Monday. Also seen are (from left) former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar, chess maestros Raghunandan Gokhale and Pravin Thipsay
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It has been a hectic travel on Monday for Akash Chikte, the Indian hockey goalkeeper who won the best custodian award at the triumphant Men’s Hockey Asia Cup tournament in Dhaka. He travelled back to Delhi from Dhaka and was immediately put on the flight to Mumbai and on to a cab through the Mumbai roads to attend the Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai’s Golden Jubilee awards function.

The 25-year-old Chikte, who made his India debut in the 2016 Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament, was named the SJAM joint sportsmen of the year, sharing the award with chess Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi.

Chikte was the most sought after at the awards ceremony at the Bombay Gymkhana on Monday afternoon, every scribe wanting his byte and other award winners and their friends and relatives, a photo with him.

The shy person from Maharashtra's Yavatmal begged to be excused when he was asked to speak about the experience of being part of the Indian team that won the Asia Cup title after a 10-year gap. It needed some persuasion to get him to talk.

“The experience has been good. Having made my debut for India two years ago and getting a chance to play, the experience has been good,” Chikte said.

The Indian team won the title in new coach Sjoerd Marijne’s maiden assignment. Asked about the difference in working style between Marijne and the sacked coach Roelant Oltmans, Chikte said: “There is not much difference.

The coaching styles are the same. Earlier, it was all on the coach. Now, the senior players take up the coaching responsibility among themselves. Seniors in the side are asked for inputs more now than in the past. Training is decided on the basis of suggestions from players like captain Manpreet Singh, SV Sunil and Rupinderpal Singh.”

Chikte and Suraj Karkera from Mumbai shared the goalkeeping duties in the Asia Cup, conceding only six goals in seven matches in the entire tournament. Senior goalkeeper PR Sreejesh missed the tournament because of knee injury.

The return of Sreejesh will make the competition among the goalkeepers very stiff. “It is good to have competition. Only when there is competition will we improve our game. Otherwise, there will be complacency that there is no one to challenge us. Suraj and I supported each other. Sreejesh has always been supportive and played a big part in our development,” he said.

Asked if there was pressure within the team as Hockey India wanted immediate results under Marijne, Chikte said: “There was no pressure. It is our work to play good hockey, what we should do and what we should not do.”

Chikte received the award from Vinod Tawde, Maharashtra's Minister for Sports, Youth Welfare and Education. Also present at the function in which awards were presented in 13 categories were former India cricket captain Dilip Vengsarkar, chess wizards Pravin Thipsay and Raghunandan Gokhale, table tennis maestros Kamlesh Mehta and his wife Monalisa Mehta and other prominent sports personalities of Mumbai.

SJAM Golden Jubilee award winners

Sportsman of the Year: Vidit Gujrathi (chess, Nashik) and Akash Chikte (hockey, Pune)
Sportswoman of the Year: Aditi Dhumatkar (swimming, Mumbai)
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Abhimanyu Puranik (chess, Pune)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Rayna Saldhana (swimming, Mumbai) and Diya Chitale (table tennis, Mumbai)
Sportsman of the Year (Indian Games): Prashant More (carrom, Mumbai)
Cricketer of the Year: Kedar Jadhav (Pune)
Ranji Trophy Player of the Year: Abhishek Nayar (Mumbai)
Woman Cricketer of the Year: (Smriti Mandhana, Sangli)
Junior Cricketer of the Year: Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai)
Team of the Year: Mumbai Indians
Special Team performance of the Year: Mumbai City FC
Best college of the year: Rizvi College of Arts, Science and Commerce
Best School of the year: Don Bosco High School, Matunga

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