New Delhi: Veteran India men’s hockey team striker SV Sunil on Friday announced his international retirement, bringing the curtains down on a 14-year-long career during which he was a part of the 2014 Asian Games gold-winning side.
Sunil’s decision to call time came a day after drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and defender Birendra Lakra, who played starring roles in the Indian hockey team’s historic bronze medal-winning Tokyo Olympics campaign, announced their international retirements on Friday.
The 32-year-old Sunil, hailing from Karnataka, was not a part of the team that competed in the Tokyo Olympics. Sunil, said it was time for him to make way for younger players and help to build a winning team for the future. The senior player appeared in 264 India matches, striking 72 goals.
… time to take a break. More than 14 years after I wore India colours for the first time, I have decided to make myself unavailable for the national camp which begins next week, Sunil, who gew up playing hockey with a bamboo stick due to his family’s limited resources, said in a statement on his Twitter handle.
It was not the easiest decision to make, but it was not the toughest either, given that I did not make it to the team for the Tokyo Games. The omission put a question mark on my future as a player, in the 11-a-side format.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics three years away, I think, as a senior player it is important that I make way for youngsters and help in building a winning team for the future, he added.
The Arjuna awardee from Somwarpet in Coorg made his international debut in 2007 at the Asia Cup which India won after beating Pakistan in the Final.