Asian Champions Trophy: Selvam Karthi inspires India to 5-0 rout of Malaysia

Growing up in Ariyalur town, 350km from Chennai, Selvam Karthi had not just dreamt of playing for the Indian men’s hockey team but also winning matches in the blue jersey.

The 21-year-old slowly started realising his dreams when he made his India debut at the Asia Cup in May 2022. The dreams of the Tamil Nadu player kept getting bigger and he kept fulfilling them.

Sunday evening was one of those dreams fulfilled as the striker inspired India to win 5-0 in his home state by scoring the team’s opening goal against Malaysia in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai. When Karthi sounded the board in the 15th minute, decibel levels at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium went a notch higher as the crowd appreciated the local boy’s effort.

And it was not an ordinary goal. The hosts were eager to get off the mark, especially after a tame 1-1 draw against Japan on Friday. The forward was assisted by his idol, national camp roommate and skipper Harmanpreet Singh who made an impeccable injection from the defence during a counterattack.

Returning from the Indian half, the Malaysians barely had time to react as the long ball pierced the field to reach Karthi in the Malaysian striking circle. The forward turned around and hammered in his first goal of the tournament, and ninth international goal in 21 matches.

Hardik Singh (32nd), Harmanpreet (42nd), Gurjant Singh (53rd) and Jugraj Singh (54th) also scored a goal each to catapult India to the top of the six-team standings ahead of Monday’s encounter against world No.9 South Korea.

But Sunday was all about Karthi, who was awarded the Best Young Player of the Match award. The first player from Tamil Nadu in 11 years to break into the Indian team, Karthi comes from a humble background being the son of Selvam, a watchman, and Valarmathi, a domestic help.

That never deterred Karthi. He started off when he was in class eight. He immediately became known for his speed, first locally and then at the national level.

Karthi’s career took an upward route when he was admitted at the Sports Hostel for Excellence in Kovilpatti under the aegis of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).

Scoring goals during his sub-junior and then junior days made him a known name in the domestic circuit, which also resulted in his swift progress. Solid performances for Tamil Nadu in the junior nationals saw him receive a call-up for India colts in 2018. In 2019, he was the top-scorer of the tournament.

But Covid-19 hit him hard as he found himself at the crossroads. He had to work part-time for five hours a day in a bakery to support his family, especially after his father's meagre salary of Rs.5,000 was halved following the lockdown.

In August 2020, Hockey India provided financial aid of Rs.10,000 to 61 core probables with no employment. He was one of the beneficiaries. “It made me realise that because I am a hockey player, I was provided financial aid. If I had not pursued hockey, I perhaps would have been doing odd jobs to earn a living. It made me more determined to do well and go on to have a successful career," says Karthi.

After lockdown was lifted, Karthi returned to the sport and guided Tamil Nadu to the quarter-finals of the senior nationals, finishing as the second highest scorer with 10 goals.

Scouts were mighty impressed with the striker’s skills and decided to bring him into the national camp. Sooner than he knew, the Tamil Nadu player earned his debut at the Asia Cup last year, scoring in India’s 1-1 draw against Pakistan.

Karthi’s social and financial status has also improved. While the youngster landed a job with the Income-Tax department last year, seeing the dilapidated condition of his home, his family was gifted a house by Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin last year.

With finances falling into place, Karthi aims to deliver on the turf, against South Korea to start with.