'I was eager to score in front of home crowd'- Hockey forward Karthi Selvam

Chennai: The 21-year-old Karthi Selvam gave the packed Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium a reason to cheer when he scored the opening goal against Malaysia in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey here on Sunday.

But playing in front of the home crowd for the first time and the constant burden of expectations can be very nervy and unsettling. The same happened with Karthi when he took the pitch in the first game against China.

"I had put myself under a lot of pressure in the first two games. I was very much desperate to score the goal in front of my home crowd," an ecstatic Karthi told The Bridge after the match.

Karthi failed to get on the score sheet in the first two games and it happened cause of him trying too hard.

"As I said, I was very eager to score in front of my home crowd. I was trying too hard but my team to me to absorb the pressure. They asked to enjoy the moment and forget about everything else. This approach helped me," Karthi said.

"I was practicing for such situations and the coach asked me to trust my instinct whenever I get a chance to score and today, I took that chance," Karthi added further.

The forward from Ariyalur is the first breakout player from Tamil Nadu after a wait of 13 years.

Talking about Karthi's goal, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh said," It is a proud and special moment for any player to play in front of their home crowd, and scoring a goal just adds the cherry on the top of the cake. He is a brilliant young player and he is doing well for us at the moment."

With his parents in the stands and more than 5,000 voices cheering his name, Karthi Selvam has given something to cherish to the home fans who turned up in numbers to see one of their own play.