Mumbai, Sep 1 : Patience is a virtue that grows in you as you wait for an opportunity to get back into the squad. Suraj Karkera has used his virtue to grow as a person and as a goalkeeper to keep himself motivated when the chips were down.

Life has come full circle for the 29-year-old goalkeeper who has been selected for the Indian men's hockey team for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy in China, returning to the team after missing many important tournaments.

The Asian Champions Trophy to be played in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia in China from September 8 to 17 could not have come at a more opportune time for Karkera as he is hoping to fill in the place as the first-choice goalkeeper in the Indian team.

A soldier with Bombay Engineer Group (also known as Bombay Sappers), of the Indian Army, Karkera made his senior India debut way back in 2017 and was an understudy for P.R Sreejesh before Krishan Bahadur Pathak came from behind to overtake him and become the second goalkeeper in the team.

With Sreejesh going strong in the team till 36 years of age and Pathak ensconced as the next choice, Karkera could manage only 45 caps between 2017 to 2024. He was always among the probables and part of the Indian camp and would get his chance only when either Pathak or Sreejesh was not in the team like in Asia Cup 2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia or in second-rung events or new formats like the FIH Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman earlier this year in which the Indian team won a gold medal.

As Sreejesh has now hung up his boots after winning his second successive bronze medal in the Paris Olympic Games, it is an opportunity for Karkera to cement his place in the team as the top goalkeeper.

The Mumbai-born Karkera is conscious of the big break and wants to do his best to cement his place in the squad.

"I am very excited. I think I have this opportunity after a long time and every time I am selected for the Indian team, it is an opportunity to cement my place as the first-choice goalkeeper. I think this event is very important for me because this is the first event for the Indian team after Shree sir has retired. It is a chance to take his place in the team, so this opportunity is significant for us youngsters to cement our place in the team and to perform well," Karkera told IANS in an exclusive interview organised by Hockey India.

Karkera said the period when he missed important tournaments was heartbreaking and very difficult but he managed to keep himself motivated with the help of his family.

"Things are always difficult, everyone wants to be selected for the team and every tournament but the motivation was that whatever I have gained in life, it is all through hockey. So I think there was no dearth of motivation and I maintained my standard very well. I was quite motivated and in the meantime, the team was also getting good results, so that is also a type of motivation. The team is doing well, so we remain motivated by that and wait for our opportunities," said Karkera.

Karkera, who was part of the Indian team that participated in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, said the entire team, coaching staff and his family members kept encouraging him, telling him to keep working hard.

So, as he gears up for the Asian Champions Trophy in China, Karkera, a student of Children's Academy school in Mumbai, says he has grown as a player since making his debut in 2017 and will use his experience to regain his place as first-choice goalkeeper.

"Modern hockey, I think always grows and I think the penalty corner has a very big role in it -- PC defense is a very big thing for a goalkeeper besides the shoot-out. So, I have worked on these aspects of the game. I have tried to improve in whatever is pointed out by the coaches, whatever the video analysts find out and inform through meetings and video sessions. I think we are told that and according to that we make modifications to our game because I think the game is always evolving, so the work goes on and on," said Karkera.

The experienced goalkeeper said patience is his biggest virtue, which separates him from Sreejesh, who is more vocal on the field and tries to express himself forcefully.

Karkera said he wants to keep improving and continue playing at the time and winning medals for the country. With big tournaments like the Asian Games, Asia Cup and World Cup 2026 on the horizon, goalkeeper Karkera hopes to make the most of the latest opportunity that has come his way.

/IANS