Bengaluru: The return of Birendra Lakra to the senior national hockey team comes with twin advantages. It not only bolsters the defence line but also assures skipper PR Sreejesh of an experienced campaigner in the squad to rely on.
Following a long layoff owing to an ACL injury, a fit Lakra has made a remarkable comeback for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, starting next week in Malaysia.
Injured while playing for Ranchi Rays in the Hockey India League in February earlier this year, the pint-sized Lakra went through rigorous rehabilitation to regain fitness but still failed to make the cut for the Rio Olympics.
“It was a fact that I was injured. Still, I tried to make a comeback. I even got a chance in Valencia but because I was not fully fit, I had to miss the Olympics. It hurt a bit,” said Lakra.
“But you have to forget all that and look ahead. Shrikant (Iyengar - physio) prepared a programme for me. I stuck to that and came back,” said the 26-year-old on Tuesday.
Sreejesh admitted to have missed the services of Lakra at Rio. “I’m really happy to have him back. He’s been there with us for the last four years. I missed him in Rio. He’s one of our trusted warriors,” stated the captain.
Shrikant worked tirelessly for weeks to help Lakra get fit. “To recover from his injury within three months is great and a sign of his hard work and dedication. Shrikant rikant and he worked really hard. The reason he’s here is because of Shrikant,” added Sreejesh.
Following his surgery at Mumbai in March and also during rehab, a demoralised Lakra gained support from his team-mates. “The injury period was quite tough for me. That you have an injury is always running through your mind. But the whole team supported me. The coaches and the support staff, everyone was there to motivate me,” said Lakra.
Having fought his way back into the national fold, the Rourkela-born defender is keen to perform. “Injury is part and parcel of a player’s career. You need to put that out of your mind,” said Lakra confidently.
India Strategy coach, Roger van Gent also praised Lakra’s commitment and dedication. “Normally, it takes 6-9 months for a player to recover from an ACL injury but he was back on the pitch inside four months. He spent six to eight hours on his rehab every single day. He was working on it twice a day, in the gym, in the pool. Even on Sundays,” explained the Dutchman.
Van Gent added, “We tried hard to get him fit for the Olympics but we couldn’t. And also, from the point of view of his own career we didn’t want to take a risk. We couldn’t afford to let him get injured again.”
