KUALA LUMPUR – Nur Rahul Hrsikesa Thaitchana Muruthi has been travelling approximately 708km back and forth from Penang to Kuala Lumpur for training with the hopes of one day donning the Speedy Tigers jersey.
The 26-year-old Penangite, who started playing hockey at the age of six, has been committed to developing himself in the game over the past two decades by going through the youth ranks and has now established himself as one of the top prospects in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).
Rahul hit 18 goals for KL-based club NurInsafi in last season’s MHL, finishing third in the scoring charts behind Terengganu’s Faizal Saari (23 goals) and Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal (32 goals).
He has been rewarded for his hard work after national head coach Sarjit Singh listed him as one of 46 players selected from the recently concluded MHL to join a selection camp from March 19 to 31.
On April 1, the players will be narrowed down to 30 to begin preparation for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and Nations Cup in May.
Speaking to Scoop, Rahul shared the amount of dedication he had to put in over the years to get noticed in Sarjit’s camp.
“Hockey is part of my life, and playing for the national team has always been my biggest dream since I was 6-years-old. My father has been my biggest pillar of support as he always wanted me to achieve what he couldn’t.
“I have been training vigorously since I was a kid and have never given up on my goal of representing Malaysia. Because of that, I have also managed to play for several clubs in the MHL over the years.
“I have also been travelling every day from Penang to KL for training and I have been selected several times in the selection camp by previous coaches in the past. However, luck was not on my side as I’m yet to make an appearance for the country till today.
“Once again, I’m happy to be selected in the selection camp under coach Sarjit, and I’m ready to travel every day to prove my commitment and dedication to the country. I will continue to fight for my place and will not stop until I represent the Speedy Tigers,” said Rahul when contacted.
Most of the players selected by Sarjit for the training camp are under 30-years-old, with Fitri Saari (31), forward Faizal Saari (33), goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman (32) and midfielder Marhan Jalil (34) being the exceptions.
Malaysia won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup for the first time in 41 years by defeating South Korea 3-2 in the 2022 final.
In addition to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and the Nations Cup in Poland, Sarjit’s team will also participate in the Asian Champions Trophy in Inner Mongolia, China, scheduled to take place from September 8 to 17.
The Speedy Tigers are currently ranked 13th in the world, with 1,828.27 points. – March 18, 2024