The tournament was already over for India. They had lost every single game. Manpreet was just 20 years old. He could have sat out the remaining 65 minutes and nobody would have said a word.

Instead, he came back for the second half with a large bandage around his head.

Nobody asked him to come back. He just did.

Thirteen years later, he stands one cap away from becoming India’s most capped player of all time. He has 411 international appearances, one short of Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey’s record of 412. The European leg of the FIH Pro League is where that record could fall. Thirteen years defined by running India’s midfield, supporting the attack, anchoring the defence, and never once stopping. Serious on the pitch, a prankster off it. Selfless when it mattered most. Still going.

The Korean from Mithapur

The nickname Korean was given to him by former India defender Jugraj Singh, who spotted Manpreet as a child playing village matches in Jalandhar. Similar to Korean players, Manpreet had quick feet, sharp movement, and a lightness to how he carried himself on the pitch. The name stuck.

Years later, when Jugraj recommended him to then India coach Harendra Singh for the national camp, he said simply: “That Korean kid has something about him.”

The nickname turned out to be more accurate than Jugraj perhaps intended. Korean culture is built on collectivism, on putting the needs of the group above personal desire, on loyalty that runs deeper than convenience. Those who have watched Manpreet would say that description fits him as well as any label ever has.

Manpreet’s first real inspiration was Pargat Singh, the former India captain who led the side at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Pargat was a defender who carried the ball forward like a midfielder, covering the full length of the field and refusing to be confined to one role. Manpreet would build his career in much the same way.

He broke into the national team as a left half before eventually inheriting the central midfield role from Sardar Singh. For the next decade he became the engine of India’s midfield, linking defence and attack while covering every blade of grass in between. When India needed control, Manpreet provided it. When India needed intensity, he brought it. And when India needed someone to carry the ball through pressure, he was often the first option.

Read More: What do we know about Hockey India League Season 3?

Character First

The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is not the Olympics. It is not the World Cup. In the grand scheme of a hockey career, it is a preparatory tournament. Nobody would have questioned Manpreet Singh had he chosen to stay home after his father passed away during the 2016 edition in Ipoh.

He came back anyway.

After rushing home to Jalandhar for the funeral, he flew straight back to Malaysia, mid-tournament.

He didn’t return for a medal or a record; he returned for his teammates, the jersey, and a quiet, lifelong obligation to the group. Within four minutes of stepping back onto the pitch against Pakistan, he scored.

He has never made it a story about himself. That moment, like so many others in his career, belongs to the team in his mind. Not to him.

It was the same impulse that had driven him back onto the field in London with a bandage around his head. Not because anyone asked. Not because the result mattered. But because leaving the field early was simply not something he was built to do.

Faced with injury, he came back. Faced with personal loss, he came back. Whenever Indian hockey needed him, he came back.

Read More: India Beat Japan; Win Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2026

The Captain Who Ended 41 Years of Waiting

When Manpreet was appointed captain in 2017, Indian hockey was searching for consistency. There had been flashes of progress. There had been memorable victories. But one statistic still hung over the team. India had not won an Olympic medal since Moscow 1980.

At the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Manpreet Singh carried the Indian flag. The last hockey player to have done so was Pargat Singh at Atlanta 1996. The same man who had inspired a young boy from Mithapur to pick up a stick. Twenty-five years later, his student walked in his footsteps.

India won bronze. For the first time in 41 years, India stood on the Olympic podium again. Manpreet was the captain.

In 2019, he had become the first Indian to win the FIH Player of the Year award since it was introduced in 1999. He dedicated it to his late father.

Selfless to the End

Elite sport moves quickly. New coaches arrive. The systems emerge. New players challenge for places. Few athletes survive long enough to experience multiple cycles. Fewer still remain important throughout them.

As Hardik Singh developed into one of the world’s best midfielders, Manpreet did not resist. He stepped back from the captaincy, shifted his role, and found another way to contribute. Not every senior player can do that. Most either fight for what they had or quietly disappear. Manpreet did neither. He simply found a new way to be useful.

At Paris 2024, India faced Great Britain with ten men after Amit Rohidas received a red card. The game stopped. The team huddled. Manpreet Singh, no longer captain, no longer the central midfielder, stood up and spoke. In Punjabi. Loud enough for everyone to hear. The message was simple. Nobody lets the ball into the D. Nobody drops their guard. Not now.

India held on, and beat Great Britain in penalty shootouts.

That is Manpreet Singh. Not the most capped player yet. Not the captain anymore. But still the one the team turns to when it matters.

Read More: Indian tadka in Australia’s Hockey One League

Manpreet Singh Career Honours

The Record

Dilip Tirkey’s record has stood for years. The former defender represented India 412 times across an era when international hockey looked very different from today.

Now Manpreet is about to join him. The next match will bring him level. The one after that will likely see him stand alone.

The willingness to play through pain in London. Returning to the team after losing his father. Leading India to an Olympic medal after a 41-year wait. Accepting new roles when younger players emerged. Showing up, year after year, whenever India needed him.

That is what 413 caps will mean.

The boy who came back with a bandage around his head in London 2012 has no intention of stopping.

Indian hockey is heading into its biggest summer in years. Nations Cup. World Cup. Asian Games. Manpreet Singh could make history before it even starts. Subscribe to the Give Me Hockey newsletter and follow every step of it.

<p>The post 411 Caps and Still Going: The Manpreet Singh Story first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Indian hockey fans responded with warmth and relief. Marijne is not just a coach to them. He is the man who made them believe. The man who took a team that had spent decades in the wilderness and put them four minutes away from an Olympic medal. His return felt like a correction. Like something that had gone wrong was being put right.

But what exactly is he walking back into? The answer to that question is more complicated than the celebration suggested.

Read More: Complete Schedule of Women’s Hockey World Cup

What Sjoerd Marijne Built the First Time

When Marijne first arrived in 2017, he was largely unknown to Indian hockey fans. A Dutch coach with solid but unremarkable credentials, he came, got moved sideways to the men’s team when Roelant Oltmans was sacked, delivered an Asia Cup gold, then got replaced after a disappointing fourth place at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Harendra Singh came in for the men. Marijne went back to the women.

What happened next is the story Indian hockey tells itself most often. The steady results. The silver at the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy. The silver at the Jakarta Asian Games. The tense two-legged Olympic qualifier against the United States in 2019, won 6-5 on aggregate. Then Covid, the bio-bubble, and Marijne turning back from the airport rather than risk not being able to return to his team.

The Tokyo Olympics

Tokyo, when it finally arrived in 2021, started badly. India lost their first three group games against Netherlands, Germany, and Great Britain. Then they won their next two. Then they did what no one expected. They beat Australia 1-0 in the quarterfinals. Approximately 300 million Indians watched that match. India lost to Argentina in the semi-final and then lost the bronze medal match to Great Britain 4-3. Fourth place. The best finish in the history of Indian women’s hockey at the Olympics.

“An Indian journalist said to me: you may not have won a medal, but you did inspire the country.” — Sjoerd Marijne

But Tokyo was not built on one quarterfinal win. It was built on an environment. Marijne, Janneke Schopman as his analytical coach, Wayne Lombard as the scientific advisor who transformed the team’s fitness levels, a specific culture of belief and physical conditioning that took years to assemble. The Australia result was the proof of what that environment could produce on its best day. The environment itself was the real achievement.

What Four Years Without Him Actually Looked Like

The hope after Tokyo was real. India had reached a semifinal. The expectation was that this was the floor, not the ceiling. That Indian women’s hockey would build from here toward a genuine top five or six position in the world.

Schopman: The Numbers Tell a Different Story

Schopman was the natural successor. She had been at Marijne’s side through the entire Tokyo campaign. She knew the system, knew the players, understood the philosophy. And her record, when you look at it honestly, was not the record of a failed coach. In 74 matches as head coach, India won 38, lost 19, and drew 17. She won the FIH Nations Cup in Valencia in 2022, the Asian Champions Trophy in Ranchi in 2023, and delivered bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. She kept the team competitive.

But two things worked against her. First, Wayne Lombard, the scientific advisor who had built the fitness platform under Marijne, left after Tokyo. The support structure that underpinned everything Marijne had built did not fully transfer. Second, Schopman herself was frank about the environment she operated in. “India is extremely difficult as a woman,” she told the Indian Express before she resigned. The resistance she encountered was real and she named it directly.

Her record deserved better than the narrative that followed her resignation. But the two results that mattered most, ninth place at the 2022 World Cup and fourth place at the Paris Olympic qualifier in Ranchi in 2024, ended her tenure. She resigned in February 2024, a month after India failed to qualify for Paris.

Harendra and the Real Collapse

Then came Harendra Singh. A respected Indian coach, a Junior World Cup winner, a different philosophy entirely. In the FIH Pro League 2024-25, India won two of sixteen matches. They finished last. They were relegated from the Pro League to the Nations Cup. It was the lowest point Indian women’s hockey had reached since the Marijne era. Harendra resigned in December 2025, citing personal reasons.

The four years after Tokyo were not a straight line downward. Schopman kept the team functional and competitive. The real collapse came later, and quickly. By the time Marijne returned in January 2026, the distance between where the team was and where it had been in 2021 was significant.

What Sjoerd Marijne Has Come Back To

India are currently ranked ninth in the world. Three places below where they were at the peak of Marijne’s first stint. Fitness, which Marijne had made the cornerstone of the Tokyo campaign, had visibly slipped under subsequent setups. One significant development in Marijne’s return is that Wayne Lombard, the scientific advisor who built the physical platform during the Tokyo campaign and left after 2021, has also come back. The environment that produced Tokyo is not being rebuilt from scratch. At least one of its key architects is back alongside Marijne.

Three Systems, Four Years, One Confused Squad

But the fitness deficit is only part of what he has inherited. The deeper problem is tactical. In four years, this squad has been through three fundamentally different coaching philosophies. Under Schopman, the emphasis was on simplifying decision making and moving the ball quickly. Under Harendra, the team shifted toward a high pressing style with intense fitness demands. Now Marijne is asking for something different again. Fast, direct, vertical hockey built on interdependence. Players do not just learn tactics intellectually. They internalize movement patterns, positioning instincts, decision-making triggers. Three systems in four years means those instincts have been overwritten repeatedly. The players know what to do in theory. Under pressure, when instinct takes over, that confusion shows.

The Pro League relegation makes this harder in a way that goes beyond status. Without Pro League fixtures, India will not test their systems against the Netherlands, Argentina, or Germany before the World Cup. Those matches are not just competitive opportunities. They are diagnostic tools. They tell a coach what is working under genuine high-level pressure and what is not. Marijne is arriving at the World Cup in August having had the Nations Cup in June as his only serious benchmark against top international opposition. That is a significant preparation gap that the relegation created and that no amount of domestic training can fully replace.

A Generation That Never Saw Tokyo

There is also a generational gap. The players who were part of Tokyo are older now. Some have retired. The new generation coming through did not experience that quarterfinal win against Australia. They do not carry that reference point of what this team can do on its absolute best day. Building belief in players who have not experienced what belief can produce is a different challenge from rebuilding it in players who have.

The World Cup qualifier in Hyderabad offered early signs of what Marijne is working with. India finished second, scoring eleven goals, six from penalty corners. They lost the final to England 2-0. There is talent in this squad. The gap is not about individual quality. It is about the environment that turns individual quality into collective performance, and four years of tactical inconsistency have made that environment harder to rebuild.

The Question His Return Actually Raises

Marijne is not just coming back to coach a hockey team. He is trying to recreate an environment that took years to build, with a squad that has been through three different coaching philosophies in four years, in a fraction of the time he had before.

The compressed timeline is unforgiving. The World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands runs from August 15 to 29. The Asian Games in Japan follow in September. Win the Asian Games gold and India go directly to LA 2028. The cycle demands results before the environment has had time to fully settle.

There is a personal dimension to the World Cup assignment. Marijne is Dutch. He will coach India at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, a venue he knows intimately. “I know how good they can organise these things. And I know how amazing an event it will be. And that’s why personally for me, I really like to go there,” he has said. Coaching India in the Netherlands, against the country that produced him, adds a layer to this assignment that goes beyond tactics and results.

He has also been open about why he came back when he did not expect to. “One minute I thought: I have it very good now. The next minute I thought: why should I let this opportunity run?” His family, his wife Brigitte and his children, pushed him to say yes. And when asked privately why, he said: “I never thought I would come back. But I followed everything because India is in my heart.”

Whether It Can Work

The honest version of this story is that Marijne is walking back into something harder than what he left. Marijne is not inheriting the team he built. He is inheriting a team that has been through Schopman, who was undermined by factors beyond her control, and Harendra, whose tenure produced a collapse. He is inheriting a fitness deficit, a confidence gap, and a generation of players who need to be shown rather than told what this team can become.

The Argentina tour in early 2026 offered something. A 2-2 series draw against the world’s second-ranked team. Marijne pointed to mental strength and fitness improvements as genuine positives. He flagged circle entries and finishing as the areas that still need work. That is a coach who knows exactly what he is building and what still needs to be built.

Whether the environment he is creating can produce results before August is the question that the next few months will answer. Tokyo took four years to build. Marijne has months.

Read our Two part series on Hockey India off the field of play.
Part 1: The Federation Is Not the Dressing Room: Why Hockey India Needs Professional Administration

Part 2: The Federation Is Not the Dressing Room, Part 2: What Hockey India Own Documents Reveal

From One Home to Another

But here is what makes August different from any other assignment he has had. In 2021, Marijne left India as the coach who inspired a nation, and could not go home because Covid had closed the borders. He turned back from the airport to stay with his team in a bio-bubble. He chose India when he could have chosen home.

In 2026, he is taking India to Amstelveen. To Wagener Stadium. To the literal heart of Dutch hockey, the country that produced him, the sport he grew up watching and loving. He is not coaching India in a neutral venue. He is coaching his second home in his first home.

Tokyo was built in a bubble, cut off from the world, under conditions nobody would choose. Amstelveen is the opposite. It is open, familiar, his. If he can take this team there and produce something, it will not be a result born of isolation and circumstance. It will be proof that what he built in 2021 was never about the bubble. It was always about the blueprint.

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<p>The post Sjoerd Marijne Quest: Rebuilding India for the World Cup first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

India has been searching for consistency inside the circle. Amid a rotating cast of strikers, Abhishek has emerged as the most reliable presence. He doesn’t hog the ball. He doesn’t slow the game down with needless tricks. What he does instead is simple and valuable. He finishes.

With six goals in thirteen games, Abhishek is India’s top scorer in the 2024–25 FIH Pro League. What makes that tally more impressive is the speed with which he finishes his chances. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t take extra touches. In a team still refining its attacking rhythm, his clarity stands out.

Read More: Back to Green: Why Traditional Hockey Turf Still Has Charm

There was a telling moment against the Netherlands. A scrappy ball entered the circle, and while others were still reacting, Abhishek struck it on the bounce. A first-time aerial shot. No delay. No wind-up. The goalkeeper had no chance.

The Art of the Instant Strike

Abhishek’s scoring instinct is tied to speed. Against Argentina, he capitalized on a rebound and smashed another aerial finish. His mindset is always to take the earliest chance. He’s not waiting to line up the perfect shot. He takes the one that’s there.

This kind of play once seemed reckless. During the Australia tour in 2024, some of his decisions looked rushed. But now, they look like intuition built from repetition. His half-second advantage over defenders keeps producing results.

He’s not just a poacher. He’s a player who sees the full picture in fast-forward. And that’s what sets him apart.

Since debuting against France in the 2022 Pro League season, Abhishek has quietly become India’s most effective forward. At 25, he’s already earned the Arjuna Award and two straight Dhanraj Pillay Forward of the Year trophies. He’s also the second-highest-paid player in the Hockey India League. For a player who doesn’t scream for attention, his resume is making plenty of noise.

Not Just Goals, He Creates Pressure

Even when there’s no goal on offer, Abhishek adds value. He draws defenders. Or he forces mistakes. He earns penalty corners with his timing and body position. This isn’t the kind of contribution that shows up on highlight reels, but it matters. He doesn’t force low-percentage shots. He knows when to go for goal and when to draw the foul.

Read More: Forgotten Experiments: Hockey’s Short-Lived Rule Changes

His movement makes life easier for everyone around him. He doesn’t just occupy the circle. He reads it. Abhishek cuts between lines, finds gaps, and creates space for teammates. His positioning isn’t random, it’s deliberate and effective.

Calm, Calculated, Clutch

Abhishek doesn’t just move fast. He thinks fast. His goals aren’t flukes or desperate hacks. They’re calm decisions made under pressure.

Take that second goal against Argentina. A messy scramble in the D. The ball bounces loose. A defender dives in. Most forwards panic. Abhishek doesn’t. He adjusts his body, waits that extra beat, and lifts the ball past the keeper.

Abhishek doesn’t need the game to be perfect. He just needs a window. He’s a forward who turns half-chances into conversions.

And that’s exactly what India needs heading into the 2026 World Cup.

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<p>The post Abhishek: The Striker Who Shoots Before Others Think first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

First played in 1983, this tournament has always been a crucial proving ground. Teams use it to blood young talent and prepare for major events like the Olympics or World Cup qualifiers.

Over the years, the tournament’s reputation has grown. Every March and April, hockey fans wait to find out which teams are competing that year. Participation has become a sign of ambition.

Read More: Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025: Full Schedule & Details

This year, for example, Pakistan didn’t receive an invitation due to unpaid dues from last year’s event. That single decision sparked plenty of social media buzz.

Title Tally: Australia Leads, But No Hat-Trick Yet

Australia holds the record with 10 tournament wins, including the inaugural edition in 1983. Despite that dominance, they’ve never managed a three-peat. On three separate occasions, they lost in the finals with a chance to complete a hat-trick.

India follows with 5 wins in 23 appearances. Their rivals Pakistan have won 3 times. Host nation Malaysia had to wait years before clinching their first title, which finally came in 2022 after several close calls.

Who’s In – and Who’s Out

So far, the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup has been played 31 times. Malaysia has featured in every edition. Among visiting nations, India leads with 23 appearances, followed closely by Pakistan and South Korea with 22 each.

India has skipped the event whenever Pakistan was invited since 2016, reflecting the political freeze between the two neighbors.

Australia, the most successful team, hasn’t participated since their 2018 title. Only six nations have played more than 10 times: Malaysia, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

Read More: Hockey India’s New Coaching Mentorship Program Could Be a Gamechanger

And here’s a bit of trivia: the Soviet Union participated only once, in 1991, and finished third. A rare blip in hockey history.

2025 Participants: Old Names, New Stakes

This year’s tournament features: Malaysia (hosts), India, Belgium, Canada, Germany, and Ireland.

For Belgium, this is only their second appearance. Their last showing was in 2008, where they finished last. That was just before their rise to global prominence. Expect a much stronger side this time.

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Ipoh Delivers What Others Can’t

Odisha may have captured the imagination of modern fans, and the Netherlands has its own brand of hockey purity. But when it comes to atmosphere, Ipoh is unmatched.

The stadium stays packed. Fans roar, drums beat, and chants of “Malaysia!” ring louder than in many football stadiums. It’s a rare kind of hockey passion, loud, loyal, and proud.

The 2025 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, with teams like India, Germany, and Belgium, promises another memorable edition. We’ll be covering every match and every story.

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<p>The post Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025: Winners, Records, and What Makes It Special first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

Match 1: A Game of Two Halves

India led through Harmanpreet Singh’s 19th-minute penalty corner. For the first two quarters, they looked the better side. Fresh from their Ireland tour, the team played with composure. They pressed high, forced Dutch errors, and denied space to build from the back.

However, the lack of sharpness in the circle hurt them. The Indian team created chances but couldn’t extend the lead. Eventually, Thijs van Dam punished them with two goals. One was a sharp finish, the other a smart run. The Dutch didn’t dominate. They just used their few chances better.

Read More: Forgotten Experiments: Hockey’s Short-Lived Rule Changes

Match 2: A Battle to the Wire

The second match had more end-to-end action, but it was still India who looked more dangerous. Abhishek opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but Van Dam equalized almost immediately. Tjep Hoedemakers soon made it 2–1. India created more opportunities and won several penalty corners but couldn’t convert.

Jugraj Singh, who had earlier gone off with a head injury, returned to equalize with a well-taken PC. It looked like India had done enough to earn a point, but with three minutes left, Jip Janssen found the net from another Dutch penalty corner.

Five Key Takeaways for India

India’s High Press Keeps Causing Problems

The Netherlands like to dominate the ball and build play through short passes and off-the-ball movement. That didn’t happen here. India’s high press was relentless. Every time they lost the ball, they pressed in numbers. The Dutch struggled to circulate the ball cleanly and were forced into rushed passes. Forwards and midfielders worked in sync to win the ball deep in the Dutch half. It broke the flow of the game and tilted control toward India in key phases.

Defensive Structure Was Strong

Outside of a few moments from Van Dam and the headless patch from Jugraj, India’s defense looked settled. Positioning was tight, marking was disciplined, and support from midfield was constant. The Dutch found very little joy down the flanks. This allowed India to soak up pressure and spring counters with confidence.

Jugraj Needs a Confidence Boost

Jugraj’s equaliser saved the second game from becoming another missed opportunity. But his overall performance showed signs of doubt. His passing lacked forward intent, and his defending often felt uncertain. Even the head injury was avoidable. It came from poor positioning, not bad luck. He is clearly talented, but he needs a stretch of games where he isn’t looking over his shoulder. A stint abroad could help. Right now, he isn’t playing like someone ready to lead.

India Is Physically and Tactically on Par

These were two fast, physical matches, and India looked strong through all eight quarters. The Dutch, in contrast, looked tired in the final phases. India didn’t just run harder. They held their shape better and made better decisions under pressure. Over the last year, India has shown it can go head-to-head with top teams. The gap is now in execution, not structure or conditioning.

Forward Line Still Feels Unsettled

Abhishek looked sharp again. Sukhjeet had his moments too. But beyond them, India lacked presence in the Dutch circle. The passing in the final third was slow. The decisions were often delayed. There were chances to shoot or play a quick pass, but hesitation crept in. Mandeep and Rajinder struggled in the first game, while others failed to offer anything significantly different. Fulton still hasn’t found a settled forward line. That has to change before the crunch games arrive.

What’s Next

India plays Argentina next. On paper, this should be a chance to gain momentum. After that come Australia and Belgium. Six games remain. The team has a strong spine. Now it’s about getting more out of the forward line and making their pressure count on the scoreboard.

Read More: FIH Pro League 2024–25: India ‘s Schedule, Squad & World Cup Qualification

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From the Stands: Two Idiots and a Whistle
Fan 1: “They said blue pitch makes the ball easier to spot.”
Fan 2: “Right — just not for players, umpires, or fans.”

<p>The post India Push Netherlands to the Limit, But Results Don’t Reflect the Fight first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

The Indian squad features a mix of seasoned campaigners and promising young talent. During this crucial phase, India will go up against heavyweights like Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, and Argentina. Here are three key things to watch as India heads into the European leg of their FIH Pro League journey.

Read More: FIH Pro League European Leg: India‘s Schedule and Squad

Slow Starts, Strong Finishes

This has been the trend for the Indian team in this season’s FIH Pro League. Excluding Ireland, India has lost their opening leg and beaten their opponent in the return leg. Even looking at history, Indian teams are traditionally slow starters in every FIH tournament. They pick up the pace as the tournament progresses. The Olympics give a longer window, which helped the Indian team, but World Cups are a different story.

Slow starts in tournaments like the World Cup usually increase pressure on players and lead to reliance on other results. A cool head like coach Craig Fulton won’t be worried but will still want to address this concern. A good early start will help India build confidence and avoid the poor beginnings that could derail their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Backing Up India’s Penalty Corner Star Harmanpreet

India currently has the best penalty corner expert in its ranks in Harmanpreet Singh. However, even the star experts needs support. Looking at the options, Harmanpreet Singh currently does not have much backup. Jugraj Singh has been given the longest rope but this experiment hasn’t borne fruit yet. In the 2023 World Cup, the team management tried Nilam Sanjeep Xess, but he was not given enough opportunities to prove his skills. Now with Sanjay’s inclusion, there is another penalty corner expert in the team. The second penalty corner spot is still up for grabs. With penalty corner experts improving every day, India needs two reliable players for this key area considering current game conditions.

Tackling the Powerhouses: Belgium & Netherlands

In this European tour, India will face two of the top teams in world hockey: Belgium and the Netherlands. Both teams play unique styles that India must crack ahead of the World Cup next year.

The Belgium team plays compact hockey, heavily relying on defense and counterattack, similar to India’s style. They are patient in their approach to scoring, which makes breaking their defensive line difficult. Belgium places strong emphasis on defense and midfield control in their gameplay.

The Netherlands, on the other hand, focuses more on possession. They use numbers to create mismatches, allowing players to score. Their midfield displays a lot of flair and fluidity, led by Thomas Brinkman.

Beating these two teams is not just about winning the Pro League; it will give India a psychological edge and boost confidence ahead of the World Cup.

The European leg will put India’s ability to overcome slow starts, improve penalty corner options, and tackle some of the world’s best teams to the test. Moreover, success here will not only boost their position in the Pro League standings but also build crucial momentum for a strong campaign at the 2026 World Cup. In addition, performing well against top teams will give the squad the confidence and experience needed to face bigger challenges ahead.

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<p>The post Three Things to Look Out for in India’s FIH Pro League European Leg first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

However, not every rule has stood the test of time. In recent years, the FIH and other governing bodies introduced several changes that were quickly rolled back. Here are four rules that didn’t survive long.

Read More: Hockey India’s New Coaching Mentorship Program Could Be a Gamechanger

The Hockey’s Own Goal Rule (2012–2013)

In 2013, the FIH experimented with a rule that allowed an own goal to count if a defender deflected a ball into the net after it was played from outside the circle. Previously (and now again), an attacking player must touch the ball inside the circle for a goal to stand.

The idea was to create more goal-scoring opportunities. But in reality, the rule added confusion. It became hard to determine who touched the ball last in a fast-paced match. The rule faced backlash and was scrapped within two years.

Field Goals Count Double (HIL-2016, EHL- 2017 )

Introduced in the final season of Hockey India League 1.0, this rule gave double value to field goals to reduce the growing dominance of penalty corners. Drag-flick specialists like Gonzalo Peillat were scoring frequently, and field goals were declining.

To restore balance and promote attacking play, officials gave field goals extra weight. Even the Euro Hockey League adopted the same idea in 2017. But the move backfired. Teams began deliberately wasting penalty corners to try for field goals. Gameplay strategies became erratic, and the rule failed to engage fans or players. Both HIL and EHL eventually dropped the idea.

Outfield Player Performing Goalkeeping Duties (2015-2018)

FIH allowed teams to substitute an outfield player for the goalkeeper to boost attacking numbers late in matches. The outfield player could act as a goalkeeper but without wearing protective gear. While it added drama to closing minutes, it raised serious safety concerns.

Read More: Is Hockey India League 2.0 repeating the same mistakes

In 2019, the FIH amended this rule. Teams can still remove the goalkeeper, but the substitute outfield player no longer has goalkeeping privileges. This struck a balance between tactical risk and player safety.

Substitutions During Penalty Corners (1995-1998)

Earlier, teams could substitute players just before a penalty corner was taken. PC specialists like Sohail Abbas, known for his drag-flicks but not for defending, would be subbed in just for the set-piece and then sent back out.

The FIH eventually clamped down. Only players on the field when the penalty corner is awarded can take part now. But teams have creatively exploited this rule. During the 2023 World Cup, Australia used a workaround. Blake Govers, a PC expert, would wait on the sideline. If Australia won a corner, he’d quickly substitute in. If not, he’d return to the bench without affecting the play.

Hockey’s willingness to test bold ideas shows the sport’s progressive mindset. But innovation must strike a balance between excitement, fairness, and clarity. These scrapped rules serve as reminders that not every change improves the game. The best innovations are those that serve both players and fans without compromising the spirit of the sport.

Which of these rules did you find the most surprising? Or do you think any of them deserved a second chance? Let us know in the comments section below. Or tag us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky to share your take. We’d love to hear your take.

<p>The post Forgotten Experiments: Hockey’s Short-Lived Rule Changes first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

The difference between coaching structures in both countries is clear. In the Netherlands, coaches follow a set philosophy and receive structured training. While in India, most coaches build their own philosophy, often based on personal playing experiences rather than a unified national approach.

Read More: Is Hockey India League 2.0 repeating the same old mistakes

That’s why Stick2Hockey’s K Arumugam’s tweet about eight Indian coaches shadowing Craig Fulton and Harendra Singh during national camps feels like a shift. For the first time in years, Indian coaching may align with the demands of modern hockey.

India has long depended on foreign coaches. Apart from Harendra Singh and a few interim appointments, no Indian has held a full-time senior coaching role in over a decade. Joaquim Carvalho led the men’s team in 2008. CR Kumar coached the women’s team in 2011. Since then, coaching at the top level has mostly come from outside.

However, during this time, the sport of hockey has evolved. It became faster, more tactical, and more physically demanding. But coaching at the domestic level often lagged behind. This mentorship initiative could begin to change that. Let us take a look at how some ways this initiative will help Indian hockey

Learning from the Top

Marijne pointed out that coaching styles influence how players make decisions. By spending time with the senior team coaches, these eight Indian coaches will observe the daily drills, tactical planning, player management, and game preparation. They’ll see how to shift from a rigid playing style to a more fluid, position-flexible system.

Fitness is now a cornerstone of international hockey. These coaches will learn how top teams monitor fitness, conduct conditioning sessions, and build match readiness. This knowledge will trickle down to their teams and training environments.

A Network Effect

Each of these eight coaches holds an FIH Level 3 certification. One of the key aspects of this level is the ability to mentor other coaches. So, this program won’t just benefit eight people. It can create a cascading effect across Indian hockey, building a coaching network that shares common values, methods, and goals.

Smarter Player Integration

Currently, national team coaches often spend precious time helping new players unlearn outdated habits. With this program, coaches across levels can begin teaching the same systems early. As a result, players entering the camp will already understand what’s expected. National coaches can spend more time refining skills instead of rebuilding the basics.

Bridging the Domestic Gap

We’ve previously highlighted the wide skill gap between top and bottom teams in Indian domestic hockey. Poor coaching infrastructure is one reason this gap persists. Better-trained coaches at the grassroots can improve player development and make domestic competitions more competitive. In turn, this strengthens the talent pool available to the national teams.

Read More: How can India bridge the gap between its domestic teams

India never lacked players. It lacked a system that trains them the right way from the beginning. If Hockey India continues this coaching mentorship program and expands it to more regions, it could finally reduce its dependence on foreign coaches. It could develop Indian coaches who understand the demands of modern hockey and can teach them consistently across the country.

This initiative won’t solve all problems overnight. But it does start to fix one of Indian hockey’s biggest blind spots- the lack of a national coaching philosophy. This initiative may just be the foundation Indian hockey needs to build a consistent, long-term coaching system.

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Image Source: Google Images

<p>The post Hockey India’s New Coaching Mentorship Program Could Be a Gamechanger first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

This edition marked a major shift in format, as it was the first time the men’s national championship followed a divisional system. Based on past performances, 30 teams were split into three divisions, with promotion and relegation set to be implemented.

As expected, the championship delivered plenty of action—and plenty of goals. Let’s break it down, by the numbers.

Numbers That Defined the National Championships

Participating Teams: 30

Total Matches Played: 52

Goals Scored: 358

Average Goals per Game: 6.88

Most Goals Scored in a Match: Hockey Arunachal 20-0 Tripura Hockey

Why the New Format?

For years, fans and experts have questioned the quality gap between teams in the national championships. It wasn’t unusual to see games with 20-goal margins, highlighting the disparity in skill levels. To address this issue, Hockey India introduced a divisional format—to create more balanced competition and a structured path for development.

The above data clearly highlights the gap in quality between divisions. In Division C, teams engaged in a goal-fest with lot of one sided games. A total of 134 goals were scored, averaging 11.17 goals per game. Whereas, the number is quite low in Division B and Division A. This new divisional format is expected to help selectors and scouts assess talent more effectively across varying competition levels.

Team Performance

Looking at the team performances across divisions, both Hockey Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Hockey scored 16 goals in Division A. In Division B, Hockey Chandigarh netted 28 goals. While Hockey Chhattisgarh had the highest goal tally in division C, scoring 27 goals.

On the defensive side, Tripura Hockey conceded an astounding 44 goals in Division C—the most by any team. In Division B, Hockey Andhra Pradesh allowed 31 goals whereas Hockey Jharkhand conceded 13 in Division A.

Read More: India Women’s Hockey Team Tour of Australia: Full Squad and Match Schedule

Goal Machines of the Championship

On the individual front, Indian international Sharda Nand Tiwari of Uttar Pradesh Hockey emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals in Division A. Following him closely was Hockey Punjab’s Jugraj Singh, who netted five. Yogember Rawat of Delhi Hockey led the charts with nine goals—eight of them from penalty corners in Division B. Harsh from Hockey Himachal Pradesh was top scorer from Division C with 9 goals.

Field goals remained the hallmark of the Senior Men’s Championship, accounting for 60% of all goals scored. Penalty corners goals contributed 35%, whereas 5% of goals came from penalty strokes. Notably, Division A showed a more balanced spread, with 51% of goals coming from open play and 37% from penalty corners.

Promotion & Relegation

In the next edition of the National Championships, Hockey Chandigarh and Delhi Hockey will move up to Division A. The Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Jharkhand will drop to Division B. While from Division C, Chhattisgarh Hockey and Hockey Arunachal will be promoted to Division B.

The 15th edition of the Senior Men’s National Championship marked the beginning of a more structured future for domestic hockey. With the new divisional format, the tournament has taken a solid step toward competitive balance, smarter scouting, and more meaningful games. One thing’s clear—the national championships just got a whole lot more interesting.

<p>The post The Numbers Game: Highlights from 15th Senior Men’s Nationals first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>

A Cradle of Indian Hockey

The Kodava region, also known as Coorg, has made significant contributions to Indian hockey. Often referred to as the ‘cradle of hockey’, it has produced over 50 Indian national players, including former Indian captains B.P. Govinda, M.P. Ganesh, and M.M. Somaiya.

A Historic First: Women’s Hockey 5s Tournament

Keeping with the changing hockey landscape, Kodava Hockey festival will also hold an exclusive Women’s Hockey 5s event. Over 30 teams have already registered, and the matches will take place in the final week of the festival, promising a grand spectacle.

How It All Began

The festival traces its origins to Pandanda Kuttappa, a retired banker and passionate hockey enthusiast. Seeking a way to bring Kodava families together, he launched this family-based tournament in the early 1990s. The first edition featured 60 family teams, but it quickly grew, culminating in 364 teams in 2024. A feat that earned it a place in the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest hockey tournament.

Unique Features of the Tournament

• Family-Based Teams: Only teams made up of members from the same Kodava family (surname) can participate.
• Inclusive Format: No age or gender restrictions—generations of players, from children to grandparents, take the field together.

Read More: Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025

Star Power & Documentary Coverage

The Muddanda family’s tournament committee includes filmmaker Adyah Thimmaiah, known for the Sandalwood hockey movie Jersey No. 10. The event will be documented for an upcoming release on OTT platforms, adding to the festival’s growing legacy.

With hockey, heritage, and history coming together, the Kodava Hockey Festival 2025 promises to be a celebration like no other.

<p>The post Kodava Hockey Festival 2025 promises to be bigger and better first appeared on Give Me Hockey.</p>