Hockey, Junior World Cup: Meet India captain Rohit, a powerful drag-flicker from Hisar who idolises Harmanpreet Singh

At JWC 2025, Rohit is one of India’s most crucial players, in addition to being the leader. In Araijeet Singh Hundal’s injury-enforced absence, Rohit also becomes the primary drag flicker.

His hockey journey began in 2014. Hailing from Dabra village near Hisar, Haryana and born to a farmer father, Rohit spent most of his evenings playing cricket. “As a kid, seriously, I had very little idea about hockey. But my uncle’s son used to play, and I just sat outside and watched for 15-20 days. Then, as I started playing, my interest grew. After practising in my village for a few months, I gave a trial at Chandigarh Sector 42 Hockey Academy. And that’s where Gurminder coach saab continuously worked on my game for seven years; he took me from zero to where I am now. From there, I was selected for the junior national team.”

Rohit’s hockey journey began in 2014. Hailing from Dabra village near Hisar, Haryana and born to a farmer father, Rohit spent most of his evenings playing cricket. (PHOTO: Rohit/Instagram)

Though he was never discouraged from taking up sport, Rohit’s father didn’t have much knowledge of sports or about how to make a career out of it. “I used to play on my own responsibility,” Rohit recalls. “My family supported me however they could, but there wasn’t a dream as such that I’d play for India one day, that was just mine. There were some financial difficulties at the start. I feel like most kids playing hockey in India face this. Equipment is not affordable, so we played with wooden hockey sticks that cost around Rs 250-300. The Chandigarh Academy helped us with the sticks and diet as things went on.

Coach Gurminder Singh, whose number Rohit has saved as ‘Universe Boss’ on his phone, was impressed by his ward’s speed and physique when he first came on board. “His speed, his strength, his skill, his style.. whatever is necessary for him to become an international player, it was there in Rohit as a kid. He was a physically fit child. When he was 10-11 years old, he wasn’t playing very good hockey. But he had a lot of potential. As he started going to tournaments, his performances kept going up. He became very good at drag flicking. He played full back and his physique was very good, so naturally we started training him in that role from when he was 12 or 13,” Gurminder, head coach for hockey at Chandigarh’s Sports Complex Sector 42, tells The Indian Express.

Ask Rohit who he idolises, and the answer is obvious. “Most of the defenders, drag flickers… obviously Harman paaji will be their idol. He is everyone’s favourite. He is a complete player. I meet him regularly, and he advises me on my game.” Indeed, that’s what India head coach PR Sreejesh sees as Rohit’s role to be. “He is a drag flicker, so his focus is mainly on PC attack. But he is a freeman, just like how Harman is in the senior team. He is a Libero, who is there to support the defence, but is more involved in the attacking plays,” Sreejesh says.

Rohit is now part of a young generation that is growing up not just hearing stories about India’s international success but witnessing medals at the highest level. “Right now, my dream is to win the World Cup,” Rohit says. “But ultimately, I want to play at the Olympics and win a medal. I have heard in the past that players just wanted to play at the Games. But now that we have won back-to-back medals, the mindset has changed.”