Kumar, 40, started with the national squad in 1999.

During his 20-year career, he collected 321 caps and helped Malaysia win silver medals at the Asian Games (Guangzhou 2010, Jakarta-Palembang 2018) and 2017 Asia Cup in Dhaka.

Despite retiring from the national squad, he will continue playing for the Tenaga Nasional Berhad team.

“I had wanted to retire since 2015 but I continued to be with the national team since I felt my service might be needed if we qualified for the Olympic Games.

“But after Malaysia failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020, I thought it would be better that I give the chance to young goalkeepers to hone their skills for their long-term development.

“If I continued with the national squad, I would be 44 (by the next Olympic Games), which wouldn’t be easy. Malaysia need young goalkeepers,’’ he told a media conference at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

At the same event, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation through their president Subahan Kamal, appointed Kumar as coach for the Malaysian junior squad.

Kumar appreciated the appointment as it was very significant and important to him and vowed to share his knowledge with younger national athletes.

He added that he hopes to be the coach who takes the Malaysian hockey team to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.