SS - I would like to cite the results in Indian hockey for the last 2 years and the results of late. There is a vast difference in the results of Indian hockey this year and what has been in the previous two years. Our performance and ranking have improved from previous years and I will say that if we continue to raise our performance then we can definitely beat the top teams in the near future.

EP - Is playing hockey on the astroturf a hindrance as opposed to playing on the natural field?

SS - The astroturf has been in use in the game of hockey now for almost 30 years. The Indian Federation of Hockey and the Sports Authority of India have put up many astroturf grounds and the Indian Government has approved many new ones. The National team, all the state teams and academies practice on astroturf. I think this can no longer be used as an excuse regarding our performance.

EP - Hockey is mostly popular in North India. The rest of India does not seem to catch the hockey fever. Can you comment on this?

SS - The day that money is pumped into hockey, other states will also make the game popular as is done with cricket.

EP - Don’t you think that the strike before the world cup has damaged the image of the players?

SS - There is a common belief that the hockey players do not perform in spite of being paid by the Government. The reality had been shown to the public this time around, as to what they got and how they performed in spite of this. I think it was necessary once to open the eyes of the public. Had we not done this, the people’s support for us would never have come about.

EP - In the Hockey World Cup, India finished at the 7th position. Can you give your comments on this?

SS - Actually, we finished in the 8th position. I think that now, we can only move forward. In the World Cup preceding this one, we had finished at the 11th position. Therefore, our performance has improved and not declined. Our main target is the Asian Games as we had not qualified last time. If we play the final there then we directly qualify for the Olympics so our main targets are the Common Wealth Games and the Asian Games. In the World Cup we aimed to finish within the first six but we finished in the 8th position which is still better than our last performance where we finished in 11th place.

EP - Korea is your toughest competition in the Asian Games. Where do you see yourself in the tournament?

SS - Yes, Korea is a strong team. If our World Cup performance this time is taken into consideration then we should be playing the Final there. If we play in the same pattern then we should be there.

EP - Hockey has the wizard Dhyan Chand and in cricket we have Sachin. Are there any players in hockey to follow?

SS - You have to realise that when Dhyan Chand ji played, hockey was the game at the grassroots. Also the other teams then did not know much about dribbling and I believe that they still don’t know much about it today. I think the game has changed from what it was then and what it is now. A lot of rules have become very different now. I think it’s a team game. The successful teams are those which play hockey as a team. Earlier it was individual dodging or dribbling but now it is all team effort. Now I think we must consider the whole team before the individual.

EP - Do you think the Government is doing something to popularize hockey as a team sport?

SS - I can not say much on this. What I feel is that since I started playing up till the present date, the efforts from the government could have been more.

EP - Do you think that cricket is given too much importance thereby taking attention away from other games?

SS - Cricket for me is not a game, it is entertainment, because if you see the game of cricket there is no power nor any stamina involved. A game is one in which both stamina and power is required.

EP - Can you tell us of your progression in the game of hockey?

SS - I started playing hockey in 1997 from my village. Then I went to the academy, gradually progressed to the state level then I made it up to the National level.

EP - Which is your most memorable moment in hockey?

SS - Playing against Pakistan. All of my matches against Pakistan.

EP - How many goals did you score against them?

SS - I have played 8 games against them and I have scored 19 goals.

EP - The Haryana Government had provided job opportunities to sportsmen like you. Do other sportsmen from different games also get these benefits?

SS - Yes, they do. In boxing, three boys from Haryana are all DSPs. In hockey there is Sardar Singh who is a part of the Indian Hockey team. He has also been given the post of DSP. Sportswomen, namely the captain and former captain Mamta Kaur and Surendra Kaur have been made DSPs in Haryana. I think Haryana is doing this and other states are also doing it.

EP - Please tells us about the tournament that has brought you to this part of the country?

SS - This is the All India Police Games and teams from all states come here. This is a very fun tournament and good for the department. We have reached the quarter final but we will have to wait and see what happens.