Going into the European leg of the FIH Pro League, the Indian men's hockey team genuinely had a shot at the title. With 15 points from eight matches, Harmanpreet Singh and co. were ranked third in the table. Eight matches later, the points tally moved up by just three as Craig Fulton's side finished second from bottom. They avoided relegation but had to endure a seven-match losing streak. The only win came against a heavily rotated Belgium side on Sunday.
What went wrong? And is there cause for panic?
Yes, things did go wrong and seven continuous losses were certainly not expected from this Olympic bronze medal winning team. Despite the results, there's no need to hit the panic button just yet. While there were frustrating moments in all eight matches, India were rarely, if ever, overwhelmed by their opponents and there wasn't a big difference in quality.
Six of the seven losses were by a one-goal margin. Twice against the Dutch, India conceded in the last few minutes to lose the game. The same against Australia in their first match. India also gave away goals in the final quarter in both the matches against Argentina. Yes, there were matches where they were outplayed, like the second game against Australia and first one against Belgium but in other games, things could've gone in India's favour.
With the benefit of hindsight, it's better to get these results in the Pro League where there's not much at stake. There was a World Cup spot on offer at this tournament, but India will not be too fussed about losing out because their best route for qualification remains the upcoming Asia Cup in late August. Fulton would've seen what went wrong against top sides and there's time to fix them. India's losing run is also a pattern we've seen before. Before the Paris Olympics, India didn't have a good away leg in the Pro League but when it mattered the most, they performed and won a bronze medal.
Now, what actually did go wrong?
It's clear by now that Fulton's preferred playing style is heavily dependent on a strong defence, which wasn't the case in recent matches in Europe. India conceded 26 goals in eight games which is a long way away from the 12 they conceded in their first eight games at home.
The likes of Amit Rohidas, Sumit, Jugraj Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh and Sanjay have been a solid, compact defensive crew under the reign of Fulton. It's not like they suddenly turned from good to bad in Europe but a few errors did end up in goals. Failed clearances, mistimed tackles, wrong positioning in the D and sloppy defensive play proved costly.
What also didn't help is the form of goalkeeper Krishan Pathak. Usually reliable when it comes to defending set-pieces, Pathak had more than his fair share of problems, especially when the ball was lifted high.
It's here where India still misses the great PR Sreejesh. The former goalkeeper was an exceptional shot-stopper from set-pieces and his clutch quotient used to go up in the final quarter. Both Pathak and Suraj Karkera couldn't stand out the way Sreejesh used to do in crunch moments.
A majority of Fulton's squad don't deserve to get dropped after these eight matches. With qualification for the World Cup up next, it's wise to trust these players who have been playing under a particular system for a while. Big changes are not needed right now, and these players are still international quality with years of experience.
There are a few selection issues which existed even before India travelled to Europe. Fulton's insistence on sticking with experienced forwards like Mandeep Singh, Lalit Upadhyay (who announced his retirement on Sunday) and Dilpreet Singh did not go well in recent matches as these players struggled to create an impact, with inconsistency a recurring problem. On the other hand, Shilanand Lakra, who lacks experience compared to others, showed that little bit extra on the ball and made a case for himself to stay with the national team.
Before the Asia Cup, Fulton needs to decide whether young quality attackers like Araijeet Singh Hundal, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Raheel, who also have international experience, deserve to be picked for the senior team.
Finally, who impressed?
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Abhishek scores back to back goals to give us a 2-goal lead against Australia.The match didn't go our way, but Abhishek's efforts stood out.
He will be back in action tomorrow against Belgium.����
How many goals do you think he will score?... pic.twitter.com/drrELsN3Gn
- Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 20, 2025
There are no doubts about this one. The standout player for India in the last eight matches has been Abhishek. It shouldn't be surprising considering he has been the best forward for India for quite some time. His ball-striking ability is among the best in the world. He scored four goals in eight matches, which helped India in the absence of Harmanpreet's dragflicks as the Indian captain missed a few games due to an injury.
A few words on Manpreet Singh as well. The veteran star has now played over 400 international matches and his commitment to run the length of the pitch, be it for defending or creating, hasn't come down one bit. His speed may not be the same but he's just relentless on the pitch. Unlike some of the other senior players, he looks certain to be part of the national team for next year's World Cup.
What's next?
The all-important Asia Cup from August 27 to September 7 in Rajgir, Bihar. India are clearly the best team in the continent and they ought to win the tournament and thus qualify for the World Cup.