KUALA LUMPUR – Will Rahul get his first cap for the Speedy Tigers?
Nur Rahul Hrsikesa Thaitchana Muruthi is confident that he will end his long dream of playing for the national hockey team under the guidance of head coach Sarjit Singh.
The 26-year-old Penangite, who started playing hockey at the age of six, has been developing himself in the game over the past two decades by going through the youth ranks and is now established 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 was recently rewarded for his hard work after coach Sarjit listed him as one of 46 players drawn from the recently concluded MHL to join a selection camp from today to March 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 is confident in his fine form and believes he will eventually be able to challenge his seniors for a spot in the Speedy Tigers’ starting eleven.
“I have scored the highest number of goals in my career this season, and I believe that I can be a great addition to the national team. I know it will be really hard for me to get into the starting eleven of the team in the months to come, but anything can happen in the game.
“With my competitive spirit, I will definitely fight for my place in a healthy manner with all my seniors. But at the end of the day, it’s not about myself; it’s about me wanting to contribute to the country through my performances.
“I’m ready to give my 100% and try my best in training, and I want to prove myself by being a versatile player for the team,” said Rahul when contacted.
Rahul further said he was grateful to Sarjit for selecting him in the national training camp and was ready to be part of the coach’s vision.
“I’m very glad that the coach has given me the opportunity based on my performance in the MHL, and I’m here to prove to coach Sarjit that he chose me for a reason.
“Coach Sarjit is a person who gives chances to everyone without being selective, and it’s really evident with the players that he has chosen as he selected players who have the desire and hunger to play for the national team.
“I have been selected many times before in the national training camp under coach Arul Selvaraj, but I was never chosen to be a part of the national team over the years.
“I also take half of the blame as I have missed a lot of games due to injury over the years. To be fair, coach Arul was a nice person, but coach Sarjit wants to give me the opportunity, and I want to prove my worth to him.
“It seems like coach Sarjit is building a team by focusing on youngsters rather than on those who have been there for more than 10 years. He has a vision, and I want to be a part of that vision,” Rahul added.
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 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 19, 2024