Hockey skipper Bharat Kumar Chetri ready for new role

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From being in the wilderness to getting a recall, and then being named skipper, life’s always been full of surprises for India’s new hockey captain Bharat Kumar Chetri.

The first goalkeeper to captain the side in over a decade, Chetri who returned from a two-year hiatus during the Delhi Commonwealth Games will lead India on the Australia tour, for which the team departs on Wednesday.

Keeping with chief coach Michael Nobbs’ leadership core group mantra, the 30-year-old will take over the reins from Rajpal Singh.

So could leading a team with a number of former captains create friction between the players?

Says Chetri, “I don’t think there is any room for ego clashes in our team. The seniors who have been captains have all played together. We will all put our heads together and do what is best for the team.”
On the captaincy rotation policy, Chetri said, “It is a very good option because it helps in building confidence of the players, especially among the seniors. It’s great for the team.”

On playing the nine-a-side tournament, an innovation set to officially debut later this month, Chetri said, “It’s a new format and the coach says its going to be fun.

“We haven’t played it before, the goal is bigger, but every problem has a solution, we’ll see what we can do.”

The choice of Chetri may have come as a surprise to many, but his never-say-die attitude is what sets him apart. Even when he was left out in the cold, Chetri’s commitment and dedication never wavered.

On his positive approach, the Canara Bank employee said, “Sport is all about ups and downs. But I believe it’s important to keep the spirit going in testing times.”