On August 5, 2021, the Indian men’s hockey team ended a 41-year-long wait for an Olympic medal in hockey, finally winning the bronze medal.
Historically, India has dominated world hockey from the 1920s to the 1980s, being the most successful nation in hockey at the Olympics.
This time, India is not only hoping for a medal at the summer games but also expecting the team to change the colour of the prestigious award.
However, due to its current form and challenges, the team might not be able to win a medal this time. Let’s explore the reasons behind this.
Poor performance in the FIH Pro League
India had a poor European leg of the Pro League, dropping many points in both the Pro League and the world rankings, where they now find themselves in seventh place, just 2 points behind Argentina.
In the FIH Pro League, India had a really bad run over the past two months. Of the last 8 games in the league, India lost 5, and the two they lost were by a very thin margin.
More on Olympics
Only one goalkeeper in the squad
The Indian squad has only one goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, leading the goalkeeping efforts at the Olympics.
Although India has a second goalkeeper, Krishan Pathak, he is part of the reserves and will only come into play if Sreejesh gets injured. If the injury happens during a game, India will be forced to finish it with an outfield player in goal, which could happen in a crucial match.
Poor record against Australian and European Teams
Although India has won gold in the Asian Games and the Asian Champions Trophy, showing dominance against Asian teams, they have struggled against European and South American teams. A perfect example is the 2023 Hockey World Cup, where India finished 9th in the tournament.
India’s group includes Australia, Argentina, Ireland, and New Zealand. India has a poor record against Australia. In April of this year, India lost all 5 matches against Australia in a 5-match test series.
Also, against Belgium, India has lost 16 out of the last 30 matches and won only 8. The same is true with the Netherlands; in the last 20 matches, India has won only 5 and lost 8. If they meet in the later stages, it would be tough.
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