On this day four years ago India's junior men's hockey team lifted the junior World Cup in front of a jam-packed Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Lucknow.
A moment that has been since etched in gold in Indian hockey's decorated history was only possible due to the performance put in by the young team, who defeated Belgium 2-1 in the final match held on this day in 2016.
It was a tournament which not only gave the country its first junior World Cup title since 2002, but also lifted India's profile of being a competent and admirable host nation.
Reminiscing the win, drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh said the junior World Cup victory has been one of the highlights of his career. The defender hopes to replicate the glory in the 2023 World Cup.
"I think it has definitely been one of the highlights of my career so far. To have won the junior World Cup, that too in front of our home crowd was a fantastic achievement by the team. What I remember from the tournament was how much fun we all had together as a unit -- we would mostly be listening to some music even before intense matches, but would then focus on the match once we were on the field," said Harmanpreet in a Hockey India release.
"It was always about being serious on the pitch, but also to enjoy each and every moment. I can recall certain matches and some moments, which I feel have really made me as a player. I look forward to doing it all over again now for the senior team when we host the World Cup in 2023," he added.
During the 11-day long competition, 18 young, energetic and determined Indians gave the country some of its finest moments to cherish, as they finished top of their pool by beating Canada (4-0), England (5-3) and South Africa (2-1), before registering a 2-1 win against Spain in the quarter-finals, a 4-2 shoot-out win against Australia in the semi-final, and a 2-1 victory over Belgium in the final.
The tournament also proved to be a stepping stone for most of the Indian players, with as many as 10 players from that side being part of the current core probables of the Indian men's senior hockey team.
Meanwhile, Defender Varun Kumar, who is now close to completing 100 international caps for the senior team, believes that the junior World Cup win helped him settle down.
"My favourite memory is how I was welcomed back at home. It was such a proud moment, and you could see how much the victory meant to, not just the team, but to the country and its people," said Varun.
( With inputs from ANI )
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