New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): Indian hockey stalwart and Olympic medalist Manpreet Singh said that the Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey wants him to break his record to become the most capped Indian player and has encouraged him to continue as long as possible.

Manpreet, who made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2011, is just two appearances away from becoming the most capped Indian hockey player of all time with 413 appearances, overtaking hockey legend and current Hockey India president Tirkey's tally of 412. The 33-year-old was speaking during the Hockey India Annual Awards in New Delhi on Friday.

Speaking to the media during the award show, Manpreet said, 'Tirkey wants me to break his record and become the first ever Indian to play 500 matches. He told me this personally and to play as long as I can. He said that he would be very happy as a player and a president if I break his record.'

Manpreet, over his illustrated career, has captured two back-to-back Olympic medals, both bronze at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. He has also achieved three Commonwealth Games medals, including two silvers and three Asian Games medals, including two golds among many of his accolades as an individual or as a team member. He was also the receipent of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.

On his journey, the 33-year-old hockey star said that the journey has been long and had many upsets.

'But I think it was good. I am very lucky to have reached here. My team has contributed a lot to this. In 2012, we finished at 12th, then we have got back-to-back bronze medals. It has been such a great journey. When I came as a teenager of 18-years of age and finished 12th in Olympics, it was a low point. But the bronze medals at Olympics are the high point,' he said.

On sharing the field with Sardar Singh, who had a storied career with Team India from 2006-18, Manpreet said that for him, it was a big deal sharing the field with the veteran and the learnings he and the team got from him helped the team break their 40-year-old hockey drought in 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

'Got to learn from a lot from Sardar paaji. He was such an experienced player and we played with him for a long time. He knew what was going in hockey during that time's hockey. We won 2014 Asian Games medal with him in 2014 and also went to 2016 Olympics with him. We learnt a lot from him and implemented them and that is how we got those two medals. It was a big deal sharing the field with him. By 2020, we improved a lot,' he said.

At 33 years of age and 15 years deep into his career, Manpreet's focus stays on his fitness and performing well in Asian Games and the FIH World Cup to be held this year.

'I am first focusing on Asian Games and working on my fitness. You can survive such a world class competition in hockey if you are fit. This year is important because we have Asian Games and the FIH World Cup and we hope to perform well. Asian Games is also important because it will help us qualify for Olympics directly' he said. (ANI)