Xtra Time Web Desk: Indian hockey team forward SV Sunil on Friday announced his retirement from International hockey. Sunil join the likes of Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra. There is exodus of senior players after Indian hockey team Head Coach Graham Reid made it clear he wants to build a strong and young Indian team for Paris Olympics in 2024.
Sunil, who is an Arjuna awardee from Somwarpet in Coorg made a memorable international debut in 2007 at the Asia Cup in 2007 which India won after beating Pakistan in the Final. Since then, there has been no looking back for this speedy striker who was part of India’s incredible rise in global hockey.
The two-time Olympian remained the cynosure of the Indian forwardline for over a decade with fine performances. He was part of the Indian team that won Gold in the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy, Silver in the same event in 2012.
He has to his credit a Gold and a Bronze medal from the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games respectively. He was also part of the Gold Medal-winning team in the Asia Cup 2017. He played an instrumental role in the team’s historic Silver medal wins at the 2016 and 2018 FIH Champions Trophy.
In his long-serving career, Sunil also led the forwardline in 2015 World League Final where the team won a Bronze Medal and he was also part of the team that won Bronze in the same event in 2017 in Bhubaneswar. He also has a Silver medal from the Commonwealth Games 2014 to his credit.