New Delhi: When the Indian men’s hockey team took the field in Rotterdam on Sunday to start the European leg of the FIH Pro League against Netherlands, a quiet transition took place in the record books.
Midfielder and former India captain Manpreet Singh, a fixture in the national setup for a decade-and-a-half, earned his 412th international cap. In doing so, the 33-year-old equalled the all-time Indian appearance record held by former defender and skipper, Dilip Tirkey, who is the current Hockey India (HI) president.
Reaching the milestone, however, required navigating a turbulent period that threatened to prematurely end one of modern Indian hockey’s most decorated careers.
The progress to matching Tirkey’s record was abruptly halted in January when Manpreet was excluded from the national core probables list ahead of the Pro League legs in Rourkela and Hobart. It marked the first time since his international debut in 2011 that he was left out of a selection camp.
While official communications from HI and team management put down the omission to workload management and a planned rest period, the reason was a disciplinary sanction stemming from an incident that took place during India’s tour of South Africa last December.
The timing of the decision sparked considerable debate within the hockey community. Stranded at 411 caps — one game away from levelling the record — Manpreet’s removal from the training squad fuelled speculation that administrative figures were hesitant to see the long-standing milestone surpassed.
The public scrutiny and social media commentary that followed proved challenging for the two-time Olympic bronze medallist. To counter what he termed “disturbing outside noise”, Manpreet stepped away from social media platforms.
He travelled with his family in Malaysia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, and consulted with the team’s mental health expert, Paddy Upton, to process the setback.
Determined to maintain his position as one of the squad’s fittest players, Manpreet underwent an intensive training regimen on his own. Based in his village of Mithapur, his routine was attending gym sessions twice a day, and running to ensure that his aerobic capacity and speed would meet the demands of international hockey when he returned.
Manpreet’s physical readiness and tactical value found a vital advocate in chief coach Craig Fulton, who supported the playmaker’s integration back in the squad.
The administrative impasse cleared ahead of the European tour and Tirkey himself offered reassurance on the longevity of Manpreet’s career.
“I congratulate Manpreet on reaching this significant milestone, which is a remarkable achievement and reflects his dedication, commitment and consistency over the years,” he said on Sunday. “I wish him the very best for the matches ahead and hope to see him play on many more occasions. We are grateful for his continued contributions to Indian hockey.”
He captained India to a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games – ending a 41-year Olympic podium drought, and was part of the squad led by Harmanpreet Singh that earned a bronze in the 2024 Paris Games.
With his return to the competitive roster finalised for matches against Netherlands, Germany, England and Pakistan, Manpreet’s objectives extend into the upcoming tournament cycle.
In an interview with HT last month, Manpreet said he wants to continue playing until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with his immediate objective being the World Cup in August and the Asian Games in September-October where a gold medal will offer direct Olympics qualification.
Dutch beat India
India resumed Pro League action with a 2-3 loss to Netherlands. Mile Bukkens opened the scoring in the third minute while India equalised seven minutes later via Dilpreet Singh. Koen Bijen (23rd) then put the reigning Olympic champions 2-1 ahead before a brilliant set-piece team goal, converted by Sukhjeet Singh (33rd), brought India level. However, Tijmen Reyenga’s 40th minute conversion proved the winner.
India next play world champions Germany on Wednesday when Manpreet can make the big record his own.
