Rahul Dravid, the former India captain and coach, has revealed that he once played hockey alongside international players Anil Aldrin and Sandeep Somesh at St. Joseph's Boys High School.
Dravid, who is now 53, reminisced about his days on the hockey field at the opening of the inter-college hockey tournament commemorating the platinum jubilee of his alma mater, St Joseph's College of Commerce (SJCC).
He recalled playing midfield with Somesh and joked that he was "fortunate to play with people like Anil Aldrin and Sandeep Somesh for two reasons" – because they made their team strong and because it taught him that he was better off playing cricket.
Dravid praised the resurgence of Indian hockey after the men's team secured back-to-back Olympic bronze medals in Paris and Tokyo.
Hockey has played an important role in Dravid's formative years, and he praised the sport for being "a great team sport" with an "incredible history, legacy and tradition in hockey".
Dravid also lauded the efforts of the SJCC Old Students' Association (OSA) and Yes For Hockey, which have organised the two-day five-a-side inter-college hockey tournament that has attracted 17 teams.
The tournament is timely for the revival of collegiate hockey, which has declined over the years.
Dravid expressed his support for the initiative to get more youngsters to play hockey, saying, "It's such a phenomenal sport to be a part of. I think it's only going to keep getting better."
The inter-college hockey tournament is a significant step towards reviving collegiate hockey in India, which has a rich history and tradition in the sport.
Source: Yahoo Sports