Men’s Hockey World Cup Live: Hardik’s absence from India’s squad is it a big blow or not?

Hardik Singh

The men’s hockey World Cup has progressed to the league stage and then to the crossover stage, where the teams that placed second and third in different pools will face off in the quarterfinal round.

The Blacksticks (New Zealand) team will battle India today, January 22, 2023, at 7 o’clock in Kalinga Stadium Bhubneshwar.

Due to a hamstring injury, Hardik Singh, who was in outstanding form throughout the world cup, will not participate in the major competition. Raj Pal has been named as his replacement.

The extent to which Hardik’s absence will affect Men in Blue going forward is a concern. Let’s examine it carefully:

Chief National Coach Graham Reid, who announced Raj Pal as his replacement while speaking to various media agencies, effectively summed up Hardik’s absence.

Although Hardik’s injury was not severe, he still needs to recuperate and undergo rehabilitation, and because there is not much time given the nature of the competition—games are scheduled quickly after one another—we did not want to take additional risk with him.

Replacing him Raj is also a fantastic athlete who, given the chance, will play to the best of his ability.

India and Black Sticks will square off at 7 p.m. today at Kalinga Stadium in a match that must be won because it is a part of the cross-over stage, where the victor advances directly to the quarterfinal round.

India will play the defending champion Belgium in the quarterfinals if they manage to defeat the Kiwis.