New Delhi, Jul 4: India can beat any country in the world if the team sticks to its game plan, asserted the national men’s hockey side head coach Craig Fulton after a strong performance in the last leg of its otherwise overall poor campaign in the FIH Pro League.
India registered confidence-boosting victories over the reigning world champions Germany and 2024 Olympics gold medallists Netherlands, while taking the fight against world No. 3 England down to the wire during the European leg of the Pro League.
India, however, finished at the eighth spot out of nine teams with 19 points from 16 matches, one rung above Pakistan (zero point from 16 matches).
“One of the biggest takeaways from this Pro League run has been watching the team’s confidence grow. Wins over Germany and the Netherlands, plus a strong showing against England, prove that when we stick to our game plan, we’re capable of matching and beating anyone in the world,” Fulton said.
“It’s a solid stepping stone heading into the World Cup and Asian Games, but we are still focused on tightening up our performance and staying consistent from quarter to quarter.”
Fulton was particularly impressed with the team’s composure and hunger to do well.
“Even more encouraging is how much this group has matured. We’ve stayed calm under pressure, adjusted to different playing styles and pulled out wins in tight games. That kind of experience is exactly what we’ll need.
“The World Cup and Asian Games will test our resilience and belief, and I think we’re building the right foundation for it,” said the coach in a Hockey India release.
India endured a difficult start to the Pro League during the home leg in Rourkela, where they suffered defeats against Belgium and Argentina.
Signs of improvement emerged during the Hobart leg. After opening with a 0-2 defeat to Spain, India bounced back to hold hosts Australia to a 2-2 draw. That followed a 1-1 draw against Spain.
However, the shootout in both those matches went in the favour of the opposition teams. The squad regrouped well in the concluding fixture, winning the shootout 3-1 after a fiercely-contested 1-1 draw against Australia.
The biggest takeaway from Hobart was the improvement in defence. India conceded just six goals across four matches — three from penalty corners and three field goals — while continuing to show improvement in attack with two field goals and two penalty-corner conversions.
By the time the Pro League reached Europe in June, the upward curve was evident.
In Rotterdam, India produced two of their finest results of the campaign, defeating Germany 3-1 and the Netherlands 3-2. Against two of the strongest defensive units in international hockey, India scored nine goals across four matches, with five coming from field play and four from penalty corners.
The momentum continued in London, where India remained unbeaten in regulation time in all four matches against Pakistan and England.
Harmanpreet Singh, who came back to lead the side after skipping the Hobart leg, also spoke about the return of confidence.
“Beating top-ranked sides is always special, but more importantly, it shows that the hard work we’re putting in as a team is paying off. We’ll take these positives forward as we prepare for the World Cup and the Asian Games,” he said.
He said one of the biggest positives from the is Pro League campaign has been the contribution from every department.
“Our defence has stayed compact, the midfield has controlled the game well and our forwards have created good opportunities inside the circle and scored many field goals. Having all bases covered gives us confidence, but we also know there are areas where we can continue to improve before the World Cup and the Asian Games.” (PTI)
