It’s been more than half a century that the Indian men’s hockey team has been anywhere near the World Cup podium. As Craig Fulton’s boys enter the final stretch of preparations for yet another shot at the medal, the coach is not only aware of the challenge ahead but also comfortable with the ‘underdog’ tag for his team.
Key Factors
And then we have a similar number of games in the Asian Games, so it’s 100% all-in, there are no easy games,” Fulton told The Hindu on Friday. India’s first Pool D game will be against Wales on August 15, followed by England on 17 and Pakistan on 19 with the top two advancing to the quarterfinals. Ranjit Bajaj is ready to take up the manager role at the India Under-15 men’s national team, provided he is the sole one in charge. His comments came a day after he declined the role as he didn’t want to work alongside head coach Bibiano Fernandes for the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan in October. So, if you think all this is drama, then find out what people say here that I sit here from morning to night, and only one thing: every decision in my life is based on one thing, that I make a decision on how this is going to help me get to the 2034 World Cup and 2036 Olympics. Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh believes his side is capable of ending the country’s five-decade-long World Cup medal drought, saying the team heads into next month’s showpiece event with the same belief and preparation that helped it end a 41-year Olympic podium wait at the Tokyo Games. India had snapped a 41-year Olympic medal drought by winning bronze in Tokyo in 2021 before repeating the feat under Harmanpreet’s captaincy at the Paris Games. The ace drag-flicker now wants the team to emulate that success at the World Cup, to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “Just as we won an Olympic medal after 41 years in Tokyo, we want to break the World Cup drought as well. India’s only World Cup triumph came in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. The team had also won bronze in 1971 and silver in 1973 but has not reached the podium since. Lawrence has been in the international wilderness since the last of his 14 test appearances in September 2024, having struggled batting out of position as an opener against Sri Lanka.
Because we are ranked eighth, the realistic goal is we’ve been given a 5% chance of winning. Because you need a certain amount of strength to get through seven games if you go all the way in the World Cup, “The big block now is strength and conditioning. Because everyone’s in a good place,” he said, and the guys are super motivated. Because they are the true underdogs in our pool, they have nothing to lose, they will be difficult opponents. Because any good coach will say that, because he doesn’t want to sabotage his own team, “I just got to know through a trusted source and an article in the newspaper that Bibiano has also said no, citing exactly the same reasons which I have said,. Because our only goal is to end the 50-year World Cup podium drought,” Harmanpreet said, our preparation is equally strong. Because of an injury to his right hand but he was named in England’s 16-man squad for the first two tests under returning captain Joe Root, with Marcus Trescothick interim coach in the absence of the newly appointed Stephen Fleming, who had a say in selection, fast bowler Brydon Carse missed the 2-1 loss against the Black Caps.
“The ideal goal, of course, is to win. It’s perfectly set up for a World Cup. We go into it as underdogs, to be honest, and that’s a good place for us to be. There will also be the Asian Games in two months with an Olympic ticket at stake. However, Fulton insisted the team wasn’t looking that far ahead, not even to the knockout stages of the World Cup yet. “The first goal is to get out of the pool in the top two, preferably in the number one position. We’re looking at all our tactical plans, all our opposition, our offensive, long corner, penalty corner type defence. We’re really trying to do a good job on what we’re going to be coming up against. “We’re just looking at Wales as our number one game. There are Welsh players in the GB (Great Britain) programme so a lot of the style of play is very similar, strong, hard-running. “England have a very experienced team and have got results against everyone. They had a fantastic Pro League. It’s nice to have played them twice before we play them in the pool. And Pakistan are Pakistan. They can score goals from nothing; at the same time, they can have a bad patch and you can score two-three goals as well. So, it’s an interesting pool. “Everything we’re doing is building for one tournament with a second tournament in mind. It’s like having a goal, the World Cup, but we also have a goal through a goal, the Asian Games. All our training is geared around being physically, mentally and tactically sharp enough to cover both tournaments,” Fulton explained. Asked about the pressure of expectations, Fulton admitted the title dream was alive but it was equally important to focus on the immediate task. “I think legacy always plays a part but this team wants to write its own piece of Indian history at the tournament. To perform and stand on the podium would be fantastic; to win it would be amazing. But the guys aren’t jumping too far ahead. It’s easy to dream and it is important to do so. But we’ve got to keep doing the hard work. We’ve got the last phase to go and the guys are excited about the opportunity”. The Minerva Academy founder-director reasoned that he and Bibiano have two different coaching philosophies, and working in unison would not augur well for the team. “It’s still not too late if Bibano is not going to be there. How is it going to help? If it’s not going to help, then you know the answer. So, I am prepared, I am ready. Giving up is not in the blood. In fact, if I get this, I am going to work even harder,” he added. We will go with the same mindset and the same preparation. There is no pressure; rather, it is our responsibility. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was retained although it remained to be seen if he keeps his spot in the XI after confirmation that Lawrence, who bowls off-spin, will definitely be in the team.
It’s up to us now to perform and get the results,” Fulton said. That people with two visions and philosophies cannot actually be doing it together,” Bajaj said in a video shared on Instagram.
Earlier, Bajaj, who was approved as the team manager by the AIFF Executive Committee following Fernandes’ appointment as head coach, had expressed his displeasure with the decision, saying he was extremely unhappy. “We had similar feelings as before the Tokyo Olympics. However, on Saturday morning, Ranjit shared a video on Instagram, saying he had learned that even Bibiano had declined the role, and hence he’s open to coaching the team if the All India Football Federation (AIFF) wants him.
What It Means
Dan Lawrence was recalled by England after two years on Thursday (August 6, 2026) to play in the first test against Pakistan and Jacob Bethell was ruled out of the three-match series by a right knee injury. For several members of the current squad, including those who were part of India’s back-to-back Olympic bronze-medal-winning campaigns, the upcoming World Cup could be their final opportunity to make an impact on the sport’s biggest stage.
