"I'm Not Done Yet": Jarmanpreet Singh Dismisses Retirement Talk

Defender Jarmanpreet Singh is in no mood to retire just yet despite being among four senior players that Hockey India reportedly plans to phase out after the Asian Champions Trophy, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics firmly in his sights. Earlier this month, Hockey India sources had informed PTI that Jarmanpreet, Mandeep Singh, Amit Rohidas and Nilakanta Sharma, all members of India's Paris Olympics and Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games medal-winning squads, are set to feature in their final assignment for India at the Asian Champions Trophy, which begins on Tuesday. The move is understood to be part of Hockey India's long-term transition strategy with an eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, for which India qualified by winning gold at the recent Asian Games.

"I want to continue playing and perform well at the Los Angeles Olympics. I want to do my best for the team," the 30-year-old defender from Amritsar told PTI.

"Qualifying for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the Asian Games is a big achievement for our team. It is a great opportunity for us, and we are well prepared for the Los Angeles Olympics.

"After this tournament, we will begin our preparations for LA. I want the team to perform well there and win the gold medal," he added.

India captain Harmanpreet Singh also rubbished the retirement speculation, describing it as a "rumour".

"I don't think it is correct news and we haven't discussed anything on these lines within the team. I think these are rumours," Harmanpreet said during the pre-tournament captains' press conference on Monday.

Jarmanpreet, who has 171 caps to his credit, was a key member of India's bronze medal-winning campaign at the Paris Olympics and also has two Asian Games gold medals to his name, won in 2022 and 2026.

The Arjuna Award recipient believes he has made significant improvements as a defender.

"I have tried to improve my defensive skills, create good opportunities and contribute to the team's performance. I will continue to work on my responsibilities as a defender and try to improve further," Jarmanpreet said.

Five-time champions India, the highest-ranked side in the Asian Champions Trophy, enter the tournament as favourites. However, Jarmanpreet said the team cannot afford to be complacent.

"We have recently won the gold medal at the Asian Games and we want to perform well here too. But we cannot take any team lightly, although India is a powerhouse in hockey.

"We are playing at full strength and are the number one team in Asia, but we will not underestimate any opponent. We will approach the tournament one match at a time. Every team comes here to give its best, and we will also strive to perform well as a team," he said.

The Asian Champions Trophy marks the return of international hockey to Punjab after 17 years. The last international tournament held in the state was the Gold Cup in 2009.

Punjab is considered one of the heartlands of Indian hockey, having produced numerous legends over the decades. Even now, more than half of the Indian squad hails from the state.

"This is a great opportunity for Punjab and its players to play on their home ground, especially at a place where many of us started playing hockey. I thank Hockey India and the Punjab government for giving us this opportunity. I think our team is well prepared for this tournament," Jarmanpreet said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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