The Olympic-bound Indian hockey team is sweating hard at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi ahead of the big event in London.
The Olympic-bound Indian hockey team is sweating hard at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi ahead of the big event in London. It can be said that every player has worked hard to earn his place in the 16-member team. But there are two players who have not only worked hard on the field but also have fought injuries to find themselves in the team.
Till last year, forwards Shivendra Kumar and SV Sunil didn’t think they’d be playing hockey again, leave alone dream of playing at the Olympics.
Shivendra, who severely injured his left collar bone during the senior national championship in Bhopal last year, is one of them. The striker, who faced a career-threatening injury in July last year, was told by doctors that a comeback would be anything but possible.
“It was a major blow to my career. The injury was severe and the worst happened when initially the doctors couldn’t detect the intensity of the injury. My collar bone was broken and initially, it didn’t get the right treatment,” recalled Shiva, as he is fondly called by his teammates.
After consulting doctors, Shivendra finally got the right treatment and his bone was corrected properly. “But it wasn’t easy even after the treatment. I lost strength and couldn’t hit the ball properly with my left hand. It was a difficult phase and it was only because of my love and passion for the sport that I returned to the team. I was told by my doctors that I wouldn’t be able to play hockey again, but my family was behind me and here I am,” said Shivendra.
If it was one big injury for Shiva, it was a series of injuries that kept Sunil away from the turf for almost 18 months.
“In 2009, my right knee got hurt while playing. It was a rare injury and the doctors couldn’t detect the root problem. I was doing well before the injury and was there in the FIH World Cup probables. But the injury kept me away from the trials and I couldn’t play the World Cup,” Sunil recalled.
After a few surgeries, he got back to the turf, but only to go away from it, as the injury recurred, forcing the Army Sports Institute player out of the Commonwealth Games. “It was very depressing for me to have missed out two major tournaments held in the country. I was frustrated, but my parents’ support and the dream to play for the country kept my hopes alive,” Sunil said.
“Today, apart from following the training schedule, I always have a prayer on my mind – not to get injured again,” he said.
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