New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) Former hockey India captain Sardar Singh today said that his main target is to stay physically and mentally fit till the 2018 World Cup which will be played in India and give best performance in the upcoming Hockey IndiaLeague (HIL). The 45-day break for the Indian hockey team post their tour of Australia in November last year has done a world of good for Sardar Singh, one of the most prolific midfielders and senior most player in the Indian squad. “I think this has been the longest break we have got in a while. After a hectic year, with the 2016 Rio Olympics, this break was personally very good for me as it helped me relax my mind, spend some time with family and also work on my fitness,” stated the former India captain. Sardar showed exemplary performance at the 2016 Asian Men's Hockey Champions Trophy in October when he set up the 55th minute goal against South Korea in the semi-finals that earned India 2-2 parity after they had trailed 1-2. He wizardry enthralled hockey lovers around the world and also invited praise from chief coach Roelant Oltmans who singled out the star midfielder's performance in ensuring India’s remarkable comeback. India eventually won the coveted title beating Pakistan 3-2 in the final. “This break has helped me introspect on my game and how I want to shape my career going forward. Presently, my first aim is to make the probable list for the national camp in March,” asserted Sardar, who will join his team Jaypee Punjab Warriors camp on January 14. “This year’s Coal India HIL will be crucial for me as I can assess where I stand and what I need to do to improve my game further. I am inspired by players like Jamie Dawyer of Australia who stayed on top of his game till he was 35-36. So, I don’t think age is a concern." Speaking of his team’s chances of defending the title in front of home crowd, as the Coal India HIL finals will be played in Chandigarh, Sardar said their chances are bright but would like to take one-match-at-a-time. Jaypee Punjab Warriors will begin their title defence with the first match played against Dabang Mumbai on January 27 in Mumbai.
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