KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey player Naaveennash Panicker is ready to take advantage of his blistering speed to make up for his physical shortcomings in the Nations Cup.
The 18-year-old Brickfields-born forward was selected by head coach Sarjit Singh for the 20-player squad for the Nations Cup, following his successful campaign in the Malaysia Hockey League with TNB Thunderbolts, where he scored four goals for the league winners.
The versatile player then underwent an assessment, playing in two friendlies against New Zealand and South Korea prior to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
However, he did not make it into the final 18-player list for the invitational tournament, in which Malaysia finished fourth.
Speaking to Scoop, Naaveennash emphasised the crucial role of physical strength in modern hockey and admitted he hasn’t had enough time to fully build his strength, despite his efforts since joining Sarjit’s training camp in March.
He also added that he doesn’t want to rely solely on his speed and aims to fit into Sarjit’s system at the Nations Cup.
“Physical strength is really important in modern hockey as it helps me maintain possession and break through tough defences. Without the necessary physicality, it would be challenging for me to hold my ground and perform effectively in high-pressure situations.
“As a forward, I’m often confined to tight spaces on the turf, so I need to be strong to make decisive runs and score goals for my team. Hence, physical strength has been something I have been working on since the day I joined coach Sarjit’s national camp.
“I have been beefing up, but I do realise that I don’t have enough time to fully prepare my body for the Nations Cup. However, I’m confident in my speed and believe that I can overcome my opponents in the Nations Cup using my speed.
“But I can’t be overly dependent on my speed and run around on the turf like a headless chicken. I need to make sure that I follow coach Sarjit’s system and work closely with his game plan to give my 100% at the tournament,” said Naaveennash when contacted.
At the same time, Naaveennash expressed his pride in being selected for the Speedy Tigers and hopes to make his parents proud.
“I’m the first in my family to play on the national team, and I’m happy to make them feel proud. My parents know how much effort I have put in to reach this level, and I’m happy that my efforts have finally paid off.
“I hope to make my national team debut in the Nations Cup and make my parents even prouder through my performances,” Naaveennash added.
The Speedy Tigers are grouped with Canada, France, and Pakistan in Pool B in the Nations Cup.
Malaysia will take on Pakistan in their first game on May 31. – May 23, 2024