‘Brinkman’s the best, I’m learning from him’

Young India striker Gursahibjit Singh is enjoying picking the brains of Dutch super star Thierry as they grind it out for the Kalinga Lancers at the ongoing Hockey India League

The best thing about franchise tournaments like the Hockey India League is the confidence boost that young Indian players get by rubbing shoulders with some of the best talent in the world. Young India striker Gursahibjit Singh, 24, who has been excelling at the HIL for the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, is one such example.
The Kalinga side boasts of some top international hockey stars like Dutch striker Thierry Brinkman and Belgian defenders Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren, to name a few.

Gursahibijit was among the scorers as the Kalinga outfit registered a dominating 5-1 win over Delhi SG Pipers at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha, recently. He admitted he’s been learning from his interactions with Brinkman.

“My experience so far at the HIL has been great. I have learned a lot, and not just me—I think it’s a great opportunity for all the Indian players. For many of us, this is the first time we are part of the league, so it’s an exciting experience,” Gursahibijit told mid-day.com.

“Our team is a healthy blend of some of the most experienced and best players from across the world. Sharing the dressing room with the likes of Brinkman, Hendrickx and Van Doren, among others, is a great feeling. I look forward to learning from them and hearing about their experiences to improve my game.

I’m particularly inspired by Brinkman because we play in the same position and he is the world’s best striker, so I am getting to learn a lot from him. I keep talking to him on the field and off the field as well. I keep asking him about things and he answers them patiently,” added Gursahibjit.

Dutch striker Thierry Brinkman celebrates a goal for Kalinga Lancers in the ongoing Hockey India League recently. Pic/Hockey India

Brinkman is among the leading scorers of the HIL with eight goals so far. He netted a fine hat-trick against in a 6-0 rout of the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers last week.

The Lancers have three wins and a draw from eight matches so far and to make it to the playoffs the role of their strikers will be key in getting them those all-important goals. “The team’s performance has been great so far. We’ve made a few mistakes here and there, but there is always a learning curve. There have been some hits and some misses, but we’ve learned from our mistakes, improvised, and kept our focus on the next game. With the tournament approaching its final stages, we know that every game is crucial, and we’re determined to give our best effort in each one,” added Gursahibjit.

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