Thimmaiah targets Rio berth through HIL

Lanky frontliner Nitin Thimmaiah, out of the Indian team for over a year after sustaining a hand injury in Bangladesh that needed surgery, is eyeing a berth in the national squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics through a dashing display in the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL).
"I suffered a (left) forearm injury in Bangladesh after colliding with the goalkeeper during our practice session and was out of action after undergoing surgery.
"I started training three months ago and I am fully fit now," Thimmaiah told reporters after scoring a brilliant solo goal for his side Comptroller and Auditor General against local team RCF in the Bombay Gold Cup tournament that commenced today.

But it has not been an easy comeback into serious hockey for the tall Coorgi, who will be celebrating his 27th birthday tomorrow.
Thimmaiah said he was apprehensive of getting injured again when confronted with an onrushing custodian for which he was advised some psychiatric treatment.
"I had a few sessions in Bengaluru and it has helped me overcome the problem."

Today he beat a few defenders on a brilliant solo run from outside the RCF strike circle and did not flinch when the rival custodian Karan Thakur rushed at him and beat him with a superb scoop.
Thimmaiah, whose distant cousin Nikken has now suffered a shoulder injury and is out of action, is seriously looking at the HIL to show the selectors that he's back to where he was before the injury in Bangladesh.

"I will be playing for the Jaypee Punjab Warriors team and want to do well in the HIL to get back into the team ahead of the Rio Games," he said.