Currently held at the SAI center, the Indian hockey team's national camp is now expected to close on December 12. This early conclusion, moving the date up by one week, was recommended by chief coach Graham Reid.
The ongoing national camp for the Indian hockey team is currently being hosted at the SAI center. It is now said that the camp will conclude on 12 December, a week earlier to the schedule. This decision has been made as per the recommendation of chief coach Graham Reid.
The program had been running for four months and was originally slated to end on December 18.
The team will reunite for further training after a three-week break on January 5. SAI has announced that Robin Arkell, the senior men's team's chief coach and scientific advisor, will implement a thorough strength and conditioning program for the players.
Since August, the Indian men's hockey team has utilized the SAI Bengaluru Centre for their training, as sports slowly resumed across the country following the March lockdown triggered by the pandemic.
Training momentum was interrupted in August when six members of the national squad tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return from a break.
Upon arriving in Bengaluru for the camp's resumption on August 20, six players—including captain Manpreet Singh, forward Mandeep Singh, defenders Jaskaran Singh and Surender Kumar, drag-flicker Varun Kumar, and goalie Krishan Bahadur Pathak—were found to be COVID-positive.
In a recent interview, Shilanand Lakra mentioned the high level of talent within the primary squad. He expressed that his goal has always been to secure a permanent spot on the national team by maintaining consistent form during both the national camps and domestic competitions. Lakra first represented the senior team at the 2018 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Currently attending the national camp at the SAI facility, Lakra noted that the pandemic provided him with a chance to reflect on his playstyle from the last two years and identify necessary improvements. He has also spent time consulting with the coaching staff, particularly head coach Graham Reid, to pinpoint specific areas for his professional growth.