Once scolded for spending too much time on the hockey field and discouraged from pursuing the sport, Jalandhar’s Manpreet Singh is now on the verge of scripting history. The 33-year-old star midfielder from Mithapur village is set to become India’s most-capped hockey player when he takes to the field against Germany during the ongoing FIH Pro League at Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Wednesday.Once scolded for spending too much time on the hockey field and discouraged from pursuing the sport, Jalandhar’s Manpreet Singh is now on the verge of scripting history. (HT File)Back home in Mithapur, long regarded as a nursery of Indian hockey, family members, friends and coaches are celebrating as Manpreet prepares for his 413th outing in the national jersey.The four-time Olympian and a Tokyo bronze medallist, Manpreet, equalled former captain Dilip Tirkey’s long-standing record of 412 international appearances during the June 15 match against the Netherlands in Rotterdam.The former India captain was part of the team that won the historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, ending the country’s 41-year wait for an Olympic hockey podium. The feat was repeated at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where India once again claimed bronze.For Manpreet, the milestone is just another step in a journey that began for a young boy who dreamt about wearing the Indian jersey.“I remember the beginning of my journey when a kid from Mithapur dreamed of playing for India. I never imagined this journey would span 15 years, and I would play more than 400 matches,” Manpreet told PTI Bhasha in an interview from Rotterdam.Even as he prepares to surpass Tirkey’s record, Manpreet has set his sights on a bigger milestone, breaking Belgian legend John-John Dohmen’s world record of 481 international caps.For Manpreet’s mother, Manjit Kaur, the milestone is a fulfilment of her son’s long-cherished dream.“It is a matter of immense pride for the family. This has happened only because of Manpreet’s hard work, dedication and commitment to hockey,” the 65-year-old said.“I still remember stopping him from playing hockey, fearing injuries, but he continued with the sport from the age of seven and never looked back,” said Manjit.Coming from a lower-middle-class family, Manpreet relied heavily on the support of his two elder brothers, Amandeep Singh and Sukhraj Singh, who stood by him and helped arrange all the logistics and finances needed to pursue his dream of representing India.“I want my son to play at least 500 matches and represent the nation for the fifth time at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and win a gold medal just like his forefather Saroop Singh, who won a gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics,” she said.A product of the renowned Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar, Manpreet made his debut in 2011 and went on to captain the national side for several years.A two-time Olympic medallist, Manpreet was conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.Congress MLA and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh, who also hails from Mithapur village, said the entire country and the state are proud of Manpreet’s achievement.“Playing more than 400 matches for India is no ordinary feat. Such feats are possible only when a talented player gets an opportunity at the right age. Manpreet’s accomplishment reflects his fitness level, consistency and love for the game,” Pargat said.Calling Manpreet “like his son”, Pargat credited him for the resurgence of India’s hockey at the international stage. “He is going to inspire the generations of budding hockey players,” the Jalandhar Cantonment MLA added.Gurinder Singh Sangha, an International umpires’ manager in the upcoming Asian Games, also praised Manpreet’s fitness and discipline. “He shed 7kg to ensure peak fitness. I have seen his journey from a seven-year-old to becoming one of India’s greatest players,” Sangha said.