New Delhi [India], December 18 : Prince Deep Singh, fresh off a strong performance at the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup, where he helped India win the bronze medal, enters the Hockey India League (HIL) 2026 full of confidence. The Tamil Nadu Dragons goalkeeper stood out for India, making crucial saves in the quarterfinal shootout against Belgium and delivering consistent performances throughout the tournament, boosting his confidence for the upcoming league, according to a Hockey India release.
Reflecting on the impact of the FIH Men's Junior Hockey World Cup on his mindset, Prince Deep said, "I am much more confident now after this tournament because I played well in front of such a big home crowd. When I used to make saves, the fans cheered me a lot and it was a great motivation for me."
"During the shootout, when I saw so many fans behind me in the stadium, I told myself that I have to stop the ball for them. After I saved the fourth shootout, there was a lot of noise again and my confidence went even higher. When the fifth one came, I believed that I would stop it, and it became a double-save. That moment was the best for me and it went viral as well," Prince Deep recalled.
As he prepares for the Hero HIL, Prince Deep will once again be part of the Tamil Nadu Dragons setup alongside legendary Irish goalkeeper David Harte, with whom he shared the dressing room last season as well. Speaking about the influence David Harte had on his development last season, Prince Deep explained, "He is like one of the world's best goalkeepers. He taught me how to handle pressure, which is the most important thing for us. Earlier, I used to fall very fast and commit early, but he told me to stay on my feet and react at the last moment. Playing and practising with such a big player will help me a lot and I am looking forward to learning more from him."
The young goalkeeper also highlighted how observing Harte closely during training helped him sharpen his basics and decision-making. "I used to watch him from behind during practice, to see what he does at different moments. He told me that during penalty corners you have to stay relaxed and keep yourself cool because there is so much pressure. He always said that negativity has to be kept out of the ground and you should only focus on what you are doing inside the field," Prince Deep said.
Since last season, Prince Deep believes he has come a long way, through consistent exposure at the international level and extended time in national camps under the guidance of former Indian goalkeeper and the current head coach of the men's junior team, PR Sreejesh. Apart from all the training and international tours, this year Sreejesh guided Prince Deep to medals in two major international tournaments - a silver medal in the Sultan of Johor Cup and a bronze in the recent Junior World Cup.
"There is a lot of change in my game now. Earlier, I was a little scared during matches, but now I am very different. My last two tournaments went well. In training, coach sir (Sreejesh) always taught me to not focus too much on the result, but to play simple, make basic saves, communicate more on the field, and stay connected with the game," he explained.
Both Sreejesh and David Harte are legendary figures in world hockey and have shared the world stage for years, clashing in the biggest competitions, and have even played together during the early seasons of the Hockey India League back in 2014. Having trained under both, Prince Deep pointed out the similarities in their game and said, "Both of them have taught me how to handle pressure and control myself. They always say that whatever decision you take, take it with full conviction. If you concede a goal, don't lose confidence, forget it quickly and think about the next action. They both focus a lot on decision-making, defensive shape and staying calm."
Turning his attention to Tamil Nadu Dragons, Prince Deep acknowledged the disappointment of falling short in the semi-finals last season but sounded optimistic about the squad heading into the new campaign. "Last time, we made a few mistakes and we will work on that this season. Most of the team is the same and our camp starts soon. We have a good balance in the squad and everyone is focused on improving from last year," he stated.
With the Hero Hockey India League set to get underway soon, Prince Deep believes the competition and familiarity with opponents will add to the excitement since his teammates from the Junior World Cup will now be taking shots against him this time around. "I know how many of these players play, their strengths and weaknesses, so it will be fun competing against them in the league. It's going to be a very exciting season," he concluded on an amusing note.
The Hero Men's Hockey India League 2026 will begin on 3rd January 2026, as Tamil Nadu Dragons will kick off the tournament against Hyderabad Toofans in front of home fans in Chennai.
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