Indian Hockey grows younger: Coach Craig Fulton’s vision for 2026 World Cup | Hockey News
The Asian Champions Trophy gold medal was still dangling around his neck, the smile hadn’t yet disappeared and he longed to be with his family. But Craig Fulton’s thoughts had already turned to the Indian hockey team’s next litmus test: the 2026 World Cup.In those raw moments, minutes after India defeated China in Tuesday’s final, the mastermind of India’s Paris Olympic bronze gave a sneak peek into what the immediate future will look like for his team – young, a flush of fresh faces and matches away from home. It could begin as early as late October or November, with a tour to the Netherlands and Belgium with a squad comprising players largely under 25.
The destination and age group aren’t chosen on a whim. The European neighbours will be hosting the World Cup in two years and, with an eye on the championship as well as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Fulton hinted he’ll pick a bunch of players who will last the full four-year cycle and beyond.
The glorious moment when #TeamIndia seized the #ACT2024 gold 🇮🇳 🏆 #SonySportsNetwork #HockeyIndia #INDvsCHN #DilSeHockey | @thehockeyindia pic.twitter.com/7Jue5Gkt71
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 17, 2024
“We are just trying to open up the net a little bit (and) broaden the depth. Then we’ll have another camp in 10 days’ time for three weeks; another 20 players will come for that. And then hopefully we are getting a tour to Holland and Belgium with kind of an under-25 squad so we are looking forward to putting that team together,” Fulton told the Asian Hockey Federation.
Until not too long ago, India’s hockey ecosystem was obsessed with short-termism and the coaches planned from tournament to tournament, unsure if they’d still be occupying the chair the time the next one came along. In that backdrop, Fulton’s four-year plan for the team is a refreshing change. It helps that his contract, too, has been extended till the LA Olympics.
Fulton’s faith in the younger players would have been further emboldened after the Asian Champions Trophy triumph. Three years ago, when Graham Reid took a young team to the same competition after the Tokyo Olympics, they could only manage to finish third.
This time, a youthful Indian team won seven matches out of seven, scored more goals than any other team, conceded fewer than the rest and even when not at their best, found a way to win. Like they did during Tuesday’s final.
Even a lightweight tournament like this wasn’t taken lightly. When India were in Paris, plotting their path to another Olympic podium, a group of 21 players were in Bangalore preparing for the continental championship. Six of them travelled to Inner Mongolia.
Four of them were attackers, signalling the area on the field where India could see the biggest change of personnel in the build-up to the World Cup and subsequently the Olympics.
Among the Paris and Tokyo Olympians, three forwards – Mandeep Singh (29 years old), Lalit Upadhyay (30) and Gurjant Singh (29) – will be in their 30s the time the LA Games arrive. Their form was under scanner even when heading into the Paris Olympics. Whether they will survive another four years will be a burning question.
During the Asian Champions Trophy, the trio was replaced Araijeet Singh Hundal, 20, Uttam Singh, 21, and 19-year-old Gurjot Singh, who made his international debut. Hundal, the six-foot-plus striker who brings an X-factor because of his height, and Uttam, the crafty forward from the same academy as Upadhyay and Paris medall Raj Kumar Pal, were once again impressive every time they had the ball. For Gurjot, this was the first taste of international hockey at a senior level.
India’s Asian Champions Trophy heroes rewarded! 🏆🇮🇳
The victorious Indian Men’s Hockey Team gets a well-deserved bonus for their record 5th title win! Each player will receive ₹3 lakhs, while support staff members will be awarded ₹1.5 lakhs each.
This well-deserved reward… pic.twitter.com/cvI8avkpvx
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) September 17, 2024
With Sukhjeet Singh and Abhishek now leading the forward line with aplomb, Fulton might be tempted to begin the transitional phase giving the young forwards more game time ahead of big tests. A luxury he didn’t have going into the Paris Olympics as he had roughly a year to prepare.
The midfield, where India is brimming with talent, seems stronger than ever with a deep bench strength. Veteran Manpreet Singh has said he’ll continue at least till the 2026 Asian Games – which will be held after the World Cup – before taking a call on the Olympics. Vivek Sagar Prasad, the wily centre-half, is going through a purple patch. Hardik Singh is widely seen as the team’s next leader. The crafty Raj Kumar Pal has done more than enough to cement his place in the squad, and the likes of Mohammed Raheel Mouseen, the attack-minded, creative outlet, have stepped up as and when called.
The over-reliance on Harmanpreet Singh for penalty corner goals and creation of chances through long balls – either grounded passes or aerials – continues to remain a red flag. The back-line, overall, remains iffy and error-prone but the emergence of Amir Ali as a calm-headed defender will give Fulton an additional option.
How the coach handles the transition phase will be critical in determining the future of this team. During the Tokyo to Paris cycle, India had the luxury of retaining the core of the team. That will not be the case this time.
#Hockey #AsianChampionsTrophy
India head coach Craig Fulton is looking forward to some family time after a hectic period that saw India win Paris 2024 bronze and ACT title.
📽️ Asian Hockey Federation pic.twitter.com/QK1EgJ8xty
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) September 17, 2024
Fulton said the Asian Champions Trophy was the ‘first step’ in the new cycle and hinted at an infusion of new faces.
“At the moment, we’ve got some tired guys who need a break,” he said. “We are looking forward to the future – the World Cup and beyond. This is the first step. Who knows? Might be a new-look team.”
