Getting used to blue surface: Sandeep Singh

MUMBAI: India's ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh says Indian hockey team is getting used to the blue surface and gradually team's performance will improve. "At the Olympics test event at the Riverbank Arena in the Olympic Park, it was our first ever outing on blue turf. Initially establishing eye contact on the ball was pretty difficult. The surface is slippery, bumpy and the ball trapping was difficult," said Sandeep on the sidelines of an event where apart from him, other top stars of the team, Shivendra Singh, Sardar Singh and S V Sunil became brand ambassadors of Mansion House sugar cubes.
"Other teams had been playing on the blue surface for quite sometime now but for us it was new experience but we have many more matches to play on it before Olympics and we will improve," said the Haryana lad talking about Indian team's performance in the test event where big teams like Germany, Australia and England took part.
He also added that the upcoming matches on blue turf at Azlan Shah in Malaysia, and also in Spain and France, will be a big help ahead of the Olympics.
Midfielder Sadar Singh said the severe cold in England also affected the team's performance. "It was very cold and the water splashing from the surface used to numb hands. Even holding stick was difficult but we will get acclimatized to the conditions in England till Olympics arrives," observed Sardar.