S V SUNIL
Somwarpet Vittalacharya Sunil, Born May 06, 1989, in Coorg, Karnataka. Sunil is a forward of international repute in the Indian lineup. He has been with the team since the 2007 Asia Cup in Chennai, India, that was also won by India.
Born in a family of extremely modest means family, Sunil used bamboo for hockey stick during his younger days
How he preceded love for the country, bestowing it with honor via the game was evident when in 2009, hours before the start of the Sultan Azlan Shah, Sunil received the news of his father’s demise. Instead of heading back home to perform the last rites, he chose to play for the team where India won the tournament.
This electric forward has given ample memories to the nation and nightmares to rival defenders and goalkeepers alike with his stirring forays and startling moves to score stunning goals. One of his most memorable goals was at the 2012 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final when he plucked out a goal in the dying minutes that edged out Pakistan and gave India a memorable win.
SV Sunil’s participation in the Hockey World Cup, 2018 was derailed as he picked up a knee injury, during the national camp in the lead up to the Asian Champions Trophy to be held in Muscat, Oct 2018. The 30-year-old was laid low by a blow to his right knee. He suffered a grade three tear of the lateral collateral ligament that sent him to a long rehabilitation process. That was disheartening for the ace forward as the team moved on to play at the Asian Champions Trophy, where he as the main striker was not to be around. His last outing before the injury had been India’s bronze medal finish at the Asian Games in September 2018. He could only return to the squad for India’s Olympic test event in Tokyo in August 2019. The rehab from the injury was physically, mentally and emotionally draining. The extent of injury had been career-threatening in plain sense.
Incidentally, Sunil had picked up a similar injury in 2010 as well on his left knee at the time.
S.V Sunil was named as the Asian Player of the Year 2016
Sunil played a vital role in India’s successful outing at the FIH Champions Trophy tournament in London where the team earned a historic silver medal.
SV Sunil was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2017.
While representing India, Sunil has played a significant role in converting slightest of opportunities into goals with his pace and quick reflexes. The ace forward has been a part of team that struck a bounty of medals in the last decade. Notably:
Gold at Asian Champions Trophy, Ordos City, 2011
Silver at the same event, subsequent year.
Gold at 2014 Asian Games, Incheon, South Korea,
Silver at Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, 2014.
Silver at Champions Trophy, London, 2016
Gold at Asia Cup, in Dhaka, 2017,
Bronze at the Asian Games, in Jakarta, 2018
Silver at Champions Trophy, in Breda, Netherlands, July 2018
