Dilip Tirkey retires from International Hockey

In 1995, when India were still considered among the top six hockey nations in the world, a frail young guy made his debut against England at the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup in Delhi. Dilip Tirkey was hardworking, shy and talented — and was immediately labelled the find of the tournament.

Tirkey, who made his international debut in 1995 against England in the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup, did not play the recent World Cup held here earlier this year.

"I took the decision to retire from international hockey because I have been suffering from fitness related problems for quite a long time. My legs are not fit and I don't think it is possible for me to return to the national squad in near future," Dilip Tirkey

After 408 matches and 15 years of consistently turning out in India colours and shouldering the burden of an increasingly fragile defence, Dilip Tirkey finally called it a day. The ‘Wall’ of Indian hockey retired from the international arena in the way he has lived all his professional life — low-key, without a flourish, sans publicity — at a six-a-side local junior hockey tournament at home.

The three-time Olympian and former India captain, Tirkey also said he was not satisfied with his international career.

"I made the announcement in the evening, after the end of a local tournament in Bhubaneswar. I could not fulfil my dream of clinching the World Cup title and Olympic medals. But it’s only now that the realisation is sinking in. It feels strange, and sad at the same time, that I will never wear an India jersey again, that I will never play for the country again,” Dilip Tirkey said.