Placed in a challenging “pool of death,” the Indian men’s hockey team faces an uphill battle to improve upon their bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics when they open their Paris Olympics campaign against New Zealand on July 27. Expectations are high after India broke a 41-year medal jinx at the Tokyo Games.
The Indians are grouped alongside reigning champions Belgium, powerhouse Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland in a tough Pool B, while Pool A consists of Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa, and hosts France. Four teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals.
The first three pool matches against New Zealand, Argentina (July 29), and Ireland (July 30) are crucial for India as they aim to secure maximum points before facing Belgium (August 1) and Australia (August 2).
The competition also provides the Harmanpreet Singh-led Indian side an opportunity to bid farewell to the “Wall of Indian hockey,” long-serving goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who will retire after the Games. The 16-member Indian team includes 11 Olympic medalists, while Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Rajkumar Pal, and Sanjay will make their Games debuts.
Sreejesh and Manpreet Singh, both participating in their fourth Olympics, have been the team’s pillars for over a decade. The ongoing Games are expected to be Manpreet’s last as the Indian team begins its rebuilding phase.
While India has dropped from third to seventh in the world rankings, rankings are not a reliable indicator in modern hockey. A prime example is the 2023 World Cup, where India lost to New Zealand, currently ranked 10th, in a shootout in a crossover match to finish outside the top eight.
India’s chief coach Craig Fulton understands the significance of the first three games and is focused on taking one match at a time. “It is the best pool we can get. In Olympics no match is easy. We are looking at the first games to set the tempo before we take on Belgium and Australia. We are taking one match at a time,” Fulton said.
Playing the last international tournament of his career, Sreejesh is expected to leave no stone unturned in front of the goal to help his side finish on the podium, while the defense will be guarded by skipper Harmanpreet, Amit Rohidas, Sumit, Jampanpreet, and Sanjay. Manpreet, vice-captain Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad will be the midfield mainstay, while Lalit Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet will have to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibility.
Harmanpreet, regarded as one of the world’s best dragflickers, will be India’s go-to man from penalty corners, but he will also have the support of Rohidas and Sanjay. Under Fulton, there has been a shift in strategy from emphasizing attack to also prioritizing defense, while being flexible at the same time.
India secured a direct ticket to Paris by winning the Asian Games gold in 2023 and has had decent results in the build-up to the Games. In the Bhubaneswar and Rourkela legs of the FIH Pro League in February, India beat Spain twice, won and lost against the Netherlands once each, lost against Australia twice, and beat Ireland twice.
The Indians, however, were no match for their nemesis Australia in the Test series in Perth in April, where they lost all five matches but put up a close fight in some matches. In the Pro League matches in Antwerp and London that followed, India beat Argentina twice, but suffered two losses apiece to Belgium, Germany, and Great Britain with some of the matches witnessing close affairs.
India captain Harmanpreet understands the expectations from the countrymen. “After very long, the Indian hockey team is travelling to the Olympics as reigning medallists. I know there are a lot of expectations from us back home, and we are ready to deliver on our promises. “Our team has shown tremendous growth and resilience in recent years. As we gear up for Paris 2024, we’re focused on doing our best to change the colour of the medal, and represent India with pride,” he said before their opener.
