There are 1.3 billion people in India and most of them are mad about hockey. So come next August, when the Indian men’s team takes the field at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with arguably the best chance of winning a medal in 36 years, the country is likely to come to a standstill. Just listen to their captain, Sardar Singh.

“Hockey is our national game, so everyone in India wants us to win the Olympic Games,” said the 29-year-old, who has played for the national team since 2006. “Hockey will be the most important sport for Indian fans during the Olympics. People will get together to watch the matches, on big screens in shopping centres or in their homes. Sometimes in the villages, people crowd around one television together. The Indian media will cover the Games very enthusiastically. Things will start going mental one or two months before.”

India is the most successful country in men’s Olympic hockey, having won eight gold medals, but they have not reached the podium since the Moscow 1980 Games. However, performances have improved and India were the first men’s team to qualify for Rio 2016, lifting hopes of a revival for the former kings of hockey.

Speaking to rio2016.com on the telephone from New Delhi, Singh said success in Rio would inspire a new generation of Indian hockey players and fans.

“If we could win an Olympic medal for the Indian people after so many years without having one, it would be amazing. A new generation of youngsters would be inspired to take up hockey. When India won the 1975 World Cup, crowds waited for them at the airport and there was an open-top bus tour around all the major cities. It was really cool and I think it would be similar if we could win a medal in Rio.”

Singh has been impressed by the attitude of the young players in India's team (Photo: Getty Images/Michael Dodge)

Singh and co will go into battle at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest venue cluster of the Rio 2016 Games. Deodoro will host a fascinating mix of sports, such as BMX, canoe slalom, modern pentathlon, mountain bike and equestrian. The presence of rugby sevens means there is sure to be a carnival atmosphere in the stands and Singh believes the Indian hockey fans will add their own passion and colour to the party.

“There will be many Indian fans in Rio, and they always make a lot of noise and create a very good atmosphere,” he said. “There are lots of Indian hockey fans who have already got their tickets for Rio, and not just from India, from all over the world – from Great Britain and from Canada, for example.”

Germany, the Netherlands and Australia have dominated the Olympic podium at recent Games, but Singh believes that India have a good chance of winning a medal in Rio.

“Last year we did a lot of work on improving our defence and played very well at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games,” he said. “The team is improving, we have a lot of young players who are learning a lot and they are impressing me. Everyone is listening to each other, we are training very well and we are looking forward to a good performance in Rio.

“We have a year left and we have lots of areas to improve on, but we are working on that and now is the time to get everything right. If we keep the same guys and play well, I believe something good will happen for us in Rio. But it won’t be easy, we have to work hard.”

Check out the first two interviews in this series, with Chad le Clos and Jessica Ennis-Hill. Next up, on 21 August, we will publish our interview with USA football legend Carli Lloyd.