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.
Result
We will go with the same mindset and the same preparation. There is no pressure; rather, it is our responsibility. 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.
“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.
Key Moments
We will focus on one match at a time and not think too far ahead. India showed flashes of brilliance during the European leg of the FIH Pro League, registering wins over powerhouses the Netherlands and Germany, but eventually finished eighth in the nine-team standings. We keep working on small aspects and study opposition penalty-corner defence closely to identify scoring opportunities. The captain also backed the youngsters set to make their World Cup debut, saying they had already gained valuable exposure against top teams through the Pro League.
“In a World Cup, every team comes with a winning mindset and gives 100 per cent. Because every team uses video analysis, “It is becoming more difficult.
Player and Team Performance
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. 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,.
“The path is not easy. A lot of hard work is needed. We play with a never-say-die attitude, and that will remain our approach even in the practice sessions.
“The team’s performance, confidence and unity in recent months have strengthened our belief that this is a golden opportunity,” said Harmanpreet, who has played 264 internationals for India. Asked about India’s realistic prospects, Harmanpreet said no team could be taken lightly in a tournament of such stature. 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. 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.
