World Cup spot sealed, India to focus on team depth

India's hockey team aims for World Cup success after winning the Asia Cup, focusing on building depth and performance for future events

A relaxed Craig Fulton was taking a stroll on the blue turf of the Bihar Sports University Hockey Stadium late on Sunday, having a video chat with his family based in Ireland just after delivering the Asia Cup title for India.

India players celebrate during their 4-1 win over South Korea in the Asia Cup final at Rajgir on Sunday. (Hockey India)

Having dominated the continent for the past two years, India had entered the tournament as overwhelming favourites. Though they stuttered at the start, the team grew into the tournament and won, earning qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. “It was important to get it out of the way, right?” Fulton told HT.

For Fulton’s team, the next real targets are about a year away – World Cup and Asian Games. With the kind of success Fulton has had with India in the last two years, expectations are high of the South African delivering the country’s first World Cup medal since 1975. Less than three weeks later are the Asian Games that will be a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Every tournament in between will be about building the team for those two events.

“We’re just getting there. There are two types of hockey – Asian and European. All the power rests in Europe in a way, and obviously Australia. We’re trying to build something here so that we can have depth in what we do. Then we can go and challenge other teams in Europe. That’s what we are trying to do.”

Fulton has 11 months to experiment. This year has Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in November followed by a tour of South Africa in December. January will have the Hockey India League (HIL) followed by the season long Pro League, culminating in the World Cup and Asian Games.

Though Fulton wasn’t critical of the team’s performance in the Pro League and at the start of the Asia Cup, Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey said every player’s performance is being monitored as they want to select the best team for the World Cup.

“If we are not able to perform to our standards, that too at home or against Asian countries, there will be a question mark on players so that there are no shortcomings in the future. Everything will be based on performance. The coach and selectors have been told to go ahead with players who are good for the team, be it senior or junior. We have to lead the team in the right way,” said the former India captain.

“Anything can happen. We will get to know about the performance of the players in the Junior World Cup and HIL. We will do our best accordingly. I remember the situation after the 2023 World Cup where we were not able to perform well at our home ground. They had also not performed in the Pro League. Then, we had taken a decision to let go of our coach and supporting staff.”

There is a big chance some juniors might be selected in the team if they perform in the Junior World Cup in November-December. The selectors will also keenly watch HIL in January from which players can get into the core probables’ list, and maybe into the team.

For the Asia Cup too, the selectors took firm decisions. They left out double Olympic medallists Gurjant Singh and Shamsher Singh and recalled Dilpreet Singh and Shilanand Lakra, with the latter two having an outstanding tournament.

“If a senior player is not able to perform, then we have to do something. We have juniors who are constantly growing. If we’re talking about LA 2028, we will need to give enough experience and exposure to our juniors. We’ve discussed with the selectors who will be deeply involved, analyse and build a team for the future. Craig has made India a better shaped team in a very short time. He has our full support,” said Tirkey.

For Fulton, it will be all about building depth for the bigger tests ahead. “The team’s super intelligent. When we commit to doing something then we do it, for which we do a lot of homework, on opposition but more on ourselves. We want to build depth. That’s the No.1 thing. We’re getting there now,” he said.

The team will now take a 20-day break before assembling in Bengaluru on September 28.