Surender Kumar is a professional hockey player who represents India. Born on 23rd November 1993, the full back has represented India in more than 100 games. In HIL, he plays Delhi Waveriders.
Background
Surender Kumar took birth in Brana Village of Karnal district in Haryana. He was born in a Hindu Jat family to parents Malkhan Singh and Nilam Devi. Born in a modest family, his father was a farmer whereas his mother was a homemaker. Eldest of three sons in the family, Surender had a shy personality and is calm on and off the field. Though he belongs to Karnal district, he shifted to Kurukshetra for his schooling.
Introduction to hockey
Unlike many of the present Indian hockey players, he does not belongs to a hockey background. He first started playing during his school days at Royal Aryan Public School in Kurukshetra. It was here where he fell in love with the beautiful game. First coached by Sardar Gurvinder Singh, Surender started to spend more time on Hockey field than in classes. His caught the eye of selectors due to his never say die attitude and discipline.
Debut
Surender Kumar first played for India in 2012, with the junior team. It was here where he first donned the coveted blue jersey. He later even went to play junior Asia Cup, Sultan Johar cup and World cup all at the junior level. He was also bought by Delhi Waveriders in 2015. His consistent performance at Junior level and HIL earned him a call to the senior team. He first played with the senior team in the Sultan Azlan Shah cup in 2016.
Surender Kumar with his teammates of Delhi Waveriders
Rise to Glory
His performances at Sultan Azlan cup won him many accolades among fans and pundits. His unique skill sets were enough for him to cement a place in the team in the midst of high competition in defence. However his name was not included in the probables list for Rio Olympics, his performance in the next tournament Champions Trophy earned him a call.
His rise since then has been meteoric, and he recently completed his 100 games in the blue jersey.
High points
In his brief career, Surender has seen many high points but, one instance which stands out came in HIL instead of the national team. It was after his first season in 2015. He was retained in the side ahead of players such as star midfielder Sardar Singh. A rookie, Kumar won enough plaudits among pundits and fans alike. If there was one turning point in his life, it has to be HIL 2015.
Future Prospect
He is one of those rare players who has never changed their playing positions. He has spent his complete life playing as a full Back. He is a team player and can adapt to a team strategy to perfection. He is known for his courage on the field and is not afraid to throw his body around. He likes to hit the ball instead of a slap-shot. Though, the best part about him is his modesty. He has established himself as a mainstay in the Indian team. The way he is playing and his potential can make him a future legend in the Indian team. He definitely is gonna be one of the stars in the upcoming World Cup in 2018.
Check his Profile on Hockey India website here: http://hockeyindia.org/team/surender-kumar-2.html
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