Indian hockey’s infinite spin-cycle of emotions Premium

Team India’s courage under pressure in the Pro League showed that the the World Cup disappointment was a thing of the past. However, it’s too early to see the Rourkela heroics as a new dawn

The Indian hockey team may be as unpredictable as the weather, but its long-term fortunes follow a more predictable trajectory — an unexpected triumph, renewed hopes of sustained success, hype at major events culminating in disappointment and heads rolling, another emotional cycle starting all over again, rinse and repeat.

The previous cycle began with the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, a success that was thought to be replicable at the 2023 World Cup at home. That, of course, did not materialise, leading to the premature exit of a quarter-dozen staff.

The FIH Pro League earlier this month marked yet another beginning in this infinite cycle of emotions in the life of hockey hopefuls, as a new-look Indian team put on quite a show.

The Pro League, stretching over a good part of the sporting year, has been the ideal testing ground for teams, allowing them to trial combinations, personnel and gameplans ahead of major competitions. Full-strength sides are seldom fielded. So, the results need to be taken with a shot of objectivity, with the focus instead on the intangibles.

It is in this context that India’s unbeaten run in the recent mini-series in Rourkela, featuring Germany and Australia, offers hope that the World Cup disappointment is a thing of the past.

It provides incoming coach Craig Fulton both with a blueprint for the future and clarity on the shortcomings at the World Cup.