India beat Malaysia 5-1 in the Asian Games final, successfully defended their gold medal and secured direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics. On paper, India achieved everything they went to Japan to achieve.
The win still felt flat because the World Cup was too recent to forget. India had finished eighth there, losing 3-1 to the Netherlands and 5-3 to Argentina, while the wider tournament exposed problems that victories against Asian opposition could not erase. The midfield struggled to control games, the transition game became predictable and India often looked short of ideas once the first attacking route disappeared.
The Asian Games also needs to be viewed in the context of where Asian men’s hockey currently stands. India are the only Asian team inside the world’s top 10, while several traditional Asian sides sit much lower in the rankings. There is very little genuine challenge for India within the continent right now.
That makes the gold important, but it also limits what the result tells us about India’s chances against the best teams in Los Angeles. The World Cup remains the better warning. India need change, and some of those decisions will have to be uncomfortable.
What Is Mandeep Singh Offering This Team Now?
Mandeep Singh completed 300 senior international appearances during the semi-final against Pakistan. He has had a very good career for India, and his role has changed over time. He was once much closer to an out-and-out striker, while in recent years he has often been used more as a linking forward connecting midfield and attack.
The problem is that neither role is currently making a strong enough case for his place. Mandeep scored three goals in seven matches at the 2025 Asia Cup, one goal in 13 matches during the 2025-26 Pro League and did not score in six World Cup matches. He then scored twice in five matches at the Asian Games.
The scoring record against stronger opposition is difficult to ignore. If India still view him primarily as a striker, one Pro League goal and no World Cup goals is not enough from a forward with his experience.
The link-up argument is also becoming harder to make. India’s midfield has looked disconnected for long periods, and there has been little evidence that Mandeep is solving that problem by dropping into those spaces and connecting the lines.
Fulton’s defence-to-counter approach may have reduced the importance of a traditional linking forward because India are often trying to attack quickly after turnovers. That explanation only goes so far when the transition game itself has struggled against better teams and Mandeep’s old link-up influence is becoming increasingly difficult to see. That leaves a simple question around his place in this team: if the goals are not coming against stronger opposition and the link-up role is no longer having enough influence, what exactly is Mandeep offering India?
Amit Rohidas Has Reached the End of His Cycle
Amit Rohidas has given a lot to Indian hockey. He has crossed 250 international appearances, been part of two Olympic bronze-medal teams and remains one of India’s best first rushers during penalty-corner defence.
His positioning in open play has not been convincing enough, he offers very little when India build from the back, and there have been very few moments where he has produced the kind of game-saving tackle expected from a senior defender. First rushing alone cannot justify keeping an experienced defender in the team.
At this stage, Rohidas looks more like a squad player. India have other players who can first rush, so that specialist role cannot be the main reason to keep selecting him.
He has been a very good servant for India and deserves respect for what he has achieved. Selection now has to be based on what India need from their defence going forward, and Rohidas is no longer offering enough to justify another Olympic cycle.
Manpreet Singh Should Be Slowly Phased Out
Manpreet Singh is a different case because he still has something to offer. He became India’s most-capped player this year, and for more than a decade he has been at the heart of the midfield that helped take India back towards the top of international hockey.
That midfield now belongs increasingly to Hardik Singh. Manpreet operates more from the left side and no longer dictates matches with the same influence he once had, which becomes important when the midfield itself has become one of India’s biggest concerns.
India do not need to remove Manpreet immediately. They should start reducing his role through 2027, give another midfielder genuine responsibility on that side and use Manpreet’s experience to help manage the transition.
The important part is starting that process now. India should know who can take over that responsibility well before Manpreet reaches the point where he has little left to offer.
Krishan Pathak Should Be Back as the Primary Goalkeeper
India have talented goalkeepers in Mohith HS and Suraj Karkera, and both should continue developing. India also have Krishan Pathak, a goalkeeper with more than 150 senior international caps who spent years alongside PR Sreejesh through two Olympic cycles.
That experience matters. A goalkeeper does much more than make saves. He organises the defensive line, communicates constantly, reads pressure and helps control the shape when the opposition starts pushing India back. Pathak has already lived through major tournaments and knockout hockey, and India should be using that experience.
Media reports said Pathak, Manpreet Singh and Dilpreet Singh were omitted from the Pro League probables following a serious disciplinary issue during India’s South Africa tour. Hockey India never publicly detailed what happened. Manpreet and Dilpreet later returned to the senior setup, while Pathak remained outside the main goalkeeping pair.
From a hockey point of view, Pathak should come back as India’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Mohith and Suraj should still get opportunities, but they should be developing behind an experienced goalkeeper rather than carrying the full responsibility of the position before LA28.
If there is still a disciplinary issue, Hockey India should deal with it properly and make the position clear. Once that is done, selection should return to hockey merit.
Pathak was prepared for years to take over after Sreejesh. India should now use him.
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Harmanpreet Singh Should Move Into the Midfield
The personnel changes should also come with a major positional change. India should actively try Harmanpreet Singh one line higher in a deep midfield role.
Harmanpreet remains one of India’s most important players because of what he can do with the ball. He sees passes early, can switch play over distance and has spent years starting attacks from deep positions. Those qualities could be even more useful if he operates in front of the defence.
His defensive game is no longer the part of his hockey India should build the back line around. He can still screen space, tackle and contribute defensively from midfield, while his passing could give India something they badly need through the middle.
The biggest benefit could be what it does for Hardik. Too often Hardik has to drop towards the defensive line because India need someone there who can receive possession and start the attack. Harmanpreet operating as the deeper midfielder would allow Hardik to stay higher and influence the areas where India need him more.
Harmanpreet could receive the first pass, spread the ball and protect the space in front of the defence. Hardik could then take greater responsibility further up the pitch without having to perform both jobs.
There is an obvious consequence. If Harmanpreet moves forward and Rohidas also leaves the long-term plan, India will need a new defensive leader behind them. There is no obvious answer yet, and finding that player has to become part of the rebuild.
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India Need More Than One Way to Play
Personnel changes alone will not solve everything. India also need to become a less predictable team with the ball.
Defence-to-counter has been an important part of Craig Fulton’s approach and it has worked in major matches. The concern is how dependent India have become on that route. When opponents deny the space for a quick break, India can struggle to slow the game down, keep possession and create an attack through several phases.
That has to improve before Los Angeles. India need to be comfortable moving the ball through midfield, recycling possession and forcing opponents to defend for longer periods. There will still be matches where transition is India’s biggest weapon, but it cannot remain the only situation in which the attack looks dangerous.
The other major dependence is at penalty corners. Harmanpreet Singh remains India’s biggest threat, which also leaves too much responsibility with one player. Jugraj Singh is the obvious second option and showed that ability in the Asian Games final when he scored while Harmanpreet was off the pitch.
India now have to decide whether Jugraj can become a reliable second specialist at the highest level. If they believe he can, he needs more responsibility. If they remain unsure, developing another option has to become a priority well before LA28.
Fulton also needs to get more energy into the side. India have looked too passive for stretches over the last few months, and fresh competition for places should help create a team that demands the ball and reacts better when a match starts moving against them.
The Asian Champions Trophy begins on October 27 and should be the first place where these changes start showing. India will again face familiar Asian opposition, with Olympic qualification already secured and much less reason to protect the existing hierarchy.
That gives India the chance to bring Pathak back, start reducing Manpreet’s role, give new players proper minutes, try Harmanpreet in midfield and increase Jugraj’s responsibility from penalty corners. Mandeep and Rohidas can be given a farewell if Hockey India wants to handle their exits that way, and then India need to move forward.
India have already secured their place in Los Angeles. The difficult part now is deciding what the team that goes there should look like, and those calls need to start now.
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