When the FIH World Cup began at Amstelveen in mid-August, the odds were loaded in favour of India men’s team. When the tournament ended, it was the women’s team that brought solace to the hard-fought campaign. The men’s team, considered a favourite to clinch a medal not long ago, posted a series of disappointing performances that looked insipid—a contrast that will hurt the management the most. The team conceded too many goals and lacked running power in the midfield to control games. An eighth-place finish among 16 competing nations does not look good from any angle, especially for a proud hockey-playing nation with a stellar record.
With less than a month to go for the Asian Games, an event where the winners will get an automatic spot at the 2028 Olympics, the side can ill afford to make large-scale changes. Going in with a similar side, they know they will not be seen as the strongest side in the continent despite their FIH ranking. If the World Cup revealed India’s gaps, teams like Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea are more than capable of exposing them afresh if given a chance. One thing is sure: if we want another Olympic medal in 2028, the transition has to begin right away.
Even as the men’s team disappointed, the women genuinely surprised many watchers with their defensive discipline, organisation and fitness. Sjoerd Marijne, the Dutch drafted in as coach less than a year ago, has performed a miracle—a fifth-place finish, India’s best since the tournament’s inaugural women’s edition in 1974, where it ended fourth. This could well be the beginning of a new journey for the women’s team. The decision to bring back conditioning guru Wayne Lombard has elevated the side’s fitness a notch. Add to that the exuberance of youth, with 11 first-timers in the 20-member squad, and a side ranked ninth in the world at the start of the tournament could punch well above their weight. By the time they beat Germany 3-1 in the last match, they looked like they belonged in the sport’s upper echelons. The next step in their evolution would be to beat China at the Asian Games. If that happens, it will serve as a major fillip for the women’s game in a country where it’s still struggling to raise interest and funds.