~ Prince Deep Singh and David Harte will perform in Tamil Nadu Dragons ~
New Delhi, December 18, 2025: Fresh from an impressive performance at the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup, where he played a crucial role in India’s bronze medal, young goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh heads into the Hero Hockey India League (Hero HIL) 2026 with confidence. The Tamil Nadu Dragons player was one of India’s standout players during the tournament. He produced decisive saves in a quarter-final shootout against Belgium and followed up with consistent performances throughout the matches, moments that have boosted his belief ahead of the upcoming competition.
Reflecting on the impact of the FIH Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup on his mindset, Prince Deep said: “I feel a lot more confident now after this tournament because I played well in front of such a big home crowd. When I made saves, the fans cheered me on a lot and that was a great motivation for me.”
“When I saw so many fans behind me in the stadium during the shootout, I told myself that I had to stop the ball for them. After I saved the fourth shootout, there was a lot of noise again and my confidence increased even more. When the fifth came, I believed that I would stop it, and it became a double save. That moment was the best for me and it also went viral,” Prince Deep recalled.
As he prepares for the Hero HIL, Prince Deep will once again be part of the Tamil Nadu Dragons line-up alongside legendary Irish goalkeeper David Harte, with whom he also shared the dressing room last season. Speaking about the influence David Harte had on his development last season, Prince Deep explained: “He is like one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He taught me how to handle pressure, which is the most important thing for us. I used to fall very quickly and give in early, but he told me to stay on my feet and react at the last moment. Playing and practicing with such a big player will help me a lot and I am looking forward to learning more from him.”
The young goalkeeper also highlighted how closely observing Harte during training helped him hone his basic skills and decision-making. “I used to watch him from behind during training to see what he was doing at different times. He told me that during penalty corners you have to stay relaxed and keep your cool because there is so much pressure. He always said that negativity should be kept out of the ground and that you should only concentrate on what you are doing inside the field,” said Prince Deep.
Since last season, Prince Deep believes he has come a long way, with consistent exposure at international level and extended stints in national camps under the guidance of former India goalkeeper and current junior men’s team head coach PR Sreejesh. In addition to all the training and international tours, Sreejesh guided Prince Deep to medals in two major international tournaments this year: a silver medal in the Sultan of Johor Cup and a bronze medal in the recent Junior World Cup.
“There has been a lot of change in my game now. I used to be a bit scared during matches but now I am very different. My last two tournaments went well. In training, coach sir (Sreejesh) always taught me not to focus too much on the result but to play simply, make basic saves, communicate more on the field and stay connected to the game,” he explained.
Both Sreejesh and David Harte are legendary figures in world hockey and have shared the world stage for years, clashing in the biggest leagues, and even played together during the inaugural seasons of the Hockey India League in 2014. After training under both, Prince Deep pointed out the similarities in their games and said, “They both taught me how to handle pressure and control myself. They always say that whatever decision you make, you have to take it with full conviction. If you concede a goal, you lose then don’t trust, quickly forget it and think about the next action. They both focus a lot on decision making, defensive form and staying calm.
Turning his attention to Tamil Nadu Dragons, Prince Deep acknowledged the disappointment of falling short in the semi-finals last season but sounded optimistic about the team heading into the new season. “We made a few mistakes last time and we will work on that this season. Most of the team is the same and our camp starts soon. We have a good balance in the squad and everyone is focused on improving from last year,” he stated.
With the Hero Hockey India League kicking off soon, Prince Deep believes the competition and familiarity with opponents will add to the excitement as his Junior World Cup teammates will now be shooting against him this time. “I know how many of these players play and what their strengths and weaknesses are, so it will be fun to compete against them in the competition. It will be a very exciting season,” he concluded in a funny tone.
The Hero Men’s Hockey India League 2026 will begin on January 3, 2026, with Tamil Nadu Dragons kicking off the tournament against Hyderabad Toofans in front of home fans in Chennai.
All matches of the Hero Hockey India League will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3 and DD Sports. The matches will also be streamed live on Waves and the Hockey India League YouTube Channel.
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