New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS): Indian women's hockey team defender Gurjit Kaur, who has been a key member of the national side for the last few years, has expressed that learning the art of drag-flicking properly has been the turning point of her career.

"I think learning the drag-flicking technique properly has been the turning point of my career. Everyone has a role to play in a hockey team and I am very happy about putting in a lot of effort to be a good drag-flicker for our side. I have received a lot of support from my teammates and coaches to learn and fine-tune the art of drag-flicking as my career has progressed," said the 24-year-old.

Gurjit, who has gone on to become a crucial drag-flicker for the Indian side, said that she didn't have much knowledge about the art prior to joining the junior national camp in 2012.

"I didn't have a lot of knowledge about drag-flicking before I joined the junior national camp in 2012. I used to practice drag-flicking before I joined the camp, but I hadn't learned the basics of the technique properly. When I joined the camp then only, I understood the basics of drag-flicking and I kept getting better at it during the course of my career," said the defender.

When asked about the one thing that has helped her become a successful athlete at the international stage, Gurjit said that consistent hard work has never let her down.

"Working hard is the most important thing for anybody to be a successful athlete. I have worked very hard on my game and therefore I am enjoying the fruits now. I always train hard during practice sessions and I never give up in any situation. I will continue to put in my efforts and I am sure it will hold me in good stead throughout my career," she said.