Last week was not the best of times for Indian hockey, both on and off the field. First came the exit of Harendra Singh, head coach of the women’s senior team, following his unimpressive stint and allegations of high-handedness. Singh took over after Janneke Schopman resigned following a tumultuous few months, during which India failed to qualify for the 2024 Olympics after finishing fourth in an eight-team competition at Rourkela, followed by a dismal run at the FIH Pro League in India. It culminated in an emotional outburst by the Dutch coach against the system, which included her co-employer Hockey India. Weeks later, Singh, who had coached the women’s team earlier, took over. However, favourable results kept eluding the team.
Under Singh, the women finished last among nine teams in the FIH Pro-League, losing 11 of the 16 matches they played. Coaching definitely seems to be an issue, but HI and the Sports Authority, which pays for coaches, must introspect beyond this, too. The same set of players has been playing under both coaches. Perhaps it’s time to overhaul the entire system. Team performances are about more than the coach and support staff’s work. With the Asian Games less than a year away, and a direct spot for the 2028 Olympics on offer for the gold medallist, it becomes even more critical that the women’s team finds its bearing soon.
To make matters worse for Indian hockey, on Sunday, the junior men’s team crashed out of the Junior World Cup, losing 1-5 to Germany. One worry was the way the team performed once they progressed from a relatively easy group. Even against Belgium, the hosts needed a shoot-off to secure a semifinal berth. Against Germany, the junior side looked like novices, both in skill and physicality. The focus is on P R Sreejesh, who was appointed head coach just after winning his second medal at the Olympics last year. The HI has made sure that the new coach gets everything he needed. Though the former India goalkeeper has shown his acumen as a mentor, there is a lot of scope to learn. With HI elections due next year, India’s performance could be a factor deciding the future of the office-bearers, too. That’s what would make for a wholesale overhaul.