Antwerp: Indian hockey team forward Yuvraj Walmiki said on Sunday that the services of injured striker S.V. Sunil will be missed during the Hockey World League (HWL) Semi-Final to be played here from June 20 to July 5. Sunil was originally included in the 18-member team for the tournament but injured himself during training. “We will miss him on the field as he is the speed demon of the team. The way he tears through the heart of the opponents defence is remarkable. But we need to learn on playing under situations where key players have to miss out because of reasons beyond anyone’s control,” said Walmiki.
Sunil was replaced by Walmiki’s elder brother Devinder. “I am fortunate to be part of this important tournament and it becomes more special as I will be playing along with my brother Devindar. This is like a dream come true as we always spoke about representing the country together and this dream is soon to get realised,” said the Mumbaikar. India have been placed in Pool A with reigning World Champions Australia, France, Poland and arch-rivals Pakistan. They will open their campaign against France on June 20. “Under new chief coach Paul van Ass, we are learning how to change our game from attack to defend in a matter of a few seconds. All the players are now part of the team’s defensive strategies and I am learning the skills and defending tactics,” said Walmiki. “This will work in our favour as we change our game plan as per the situation now. The players have no set boundaries now and each one is responsible towards the going-on, on the field.”
