Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh believes his side is capable of ending the country’s five-decade-long World Cup medal drought, saying the team heads into next month’s showpiece event with the same belief and preparation that helped it end a 41-year Olympic podium wait at the Tokyo Games.

India had snapped a 41-year Olympic medal drought by winning bronze in Tokyo in 2021 before repeating the feat under Harmanpreet’s captaincy at the Paris Games. The ace drag-flicker now wants the team to emulate that success at the World Cup, to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.

“We had similar feelings as before the Tokyo Olympics. Our preparation is equally strong because our only goal is to end the 50-year World Cup podium drought,” Harmanpreet said.

“Just as we won an Olympic medal after 41 years in Tokyo, we want to break the World Cup drought as well. We will go with the same mindset and the same preparation. There is no pressure; rather, it is our responsibility.” India’s only World Cup triumph came in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. The team had also won bronze in 1971 and silver in 1973 but has not reached the podium since.

For several members of the current squad, including those who were part of India’s back-to-back Olympic bronze-medal-winning campaigns, the upcoming World Cup could be their final opportunity to make an impact on the sport’s biggest stage.

“The team’s performance, confidence and unity in recent months have strengthened our belief that this is a golden opportunity,” said Harmanpreet, who has played 264 internationals for India.

“It is especially important for the experienced players because this could be their last World Cup, and there are expectations from them. They want to set an example through their performances and inspire the next generation.” The 30-year-old, however, cautioned that success would require sustained hard work.

“The path is not easy. A lot of hard work is needed. We play with a never-say-die attitude, and that will remain our approach even in the practice sessions.” Asked about India’s realistic prospects, Harmanpreet said no team could be taken lightly in a tournament of such stature.

“In a World Cup, every team comes with a winning mindset and gives 100 per cent. We will focus on one match at a time and not think too far ahead.” India showed flashes of brilliance during the European leg of the FIH Pro League, registering wins over powerhouses the Netherlands and Germany, but eventually finished eighth in the nine-team standings.

Harmanpreet said the experience would prove invaluable ahead of the World Cup.

“In the Pro League, you experiment, learn a lot and analyse opponents. We even beat teams like the Netherlands and Germany. But the World Cup is different because you don’t get a second chance. Even small mistakes can prove costly,” said the veteran, who also captained India at the 2023 World Cup.

The prolific drag-flicker also expressed confidence in India’s attacking unit, saying the team was no longer solely dependent on penalty corners for goals.

“In the last few matches, we have scored a lot of field goals. It doesn’t matter who scores; what matters is converting opportunities. The forward line has good coordination, and I have full confidence in them.” On the challenge of staying ahead as a drag-flicker in an era dominated by video analysis, Harmanpreet said innovation and attention to detail remained key.

“It is becoming more difficult because every team uses video analysis. We keep working on small aspects and study opposition penalty-corner defence closely to identify scoring opportunities.” The captain also backed the youngsters set to make their World Cup debut, saying they had already gained valuable exposure against top teams through the Pro League.

“We are sharing our experience with them. As a captain, I believe in positive communication. Supporting each other and taking responsibility is crucial in major tournaments.

“The young players are not under pressure. They have already played against top teams and have been told to play their natural game while keeping the responsibilities towards the team first,” he said.

India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stage, a fixture that invariably attracts heightened attention.

“There is always hype around an India-Pakistan match, but we remind ourselves not to get carried away by emotions. Team responsibility comes first. We have done well against them in recent years and would like to continue that.” The World Cup will be followed by the Asian Games in Japan, where the champions will secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I have faith in the team and our preparation. Instead of worrying about things beyond our control, we want to recover quickly after the World Cup and perform well at the Asian Games.

“We have played good hockey in Asia and want to maintain that dominance to qualify for the Olympics.” Though hockey does not feature in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, beginning on Thursday, Harmanpreet conveyed his best wishes to the Indian contingent.

“You are representing India and obviously expectations would be high. Do your best and make the nation proud,” he said.

Published – July 23, 2026 02:29 am IST

Strong opinion: Gopi Chand believes there was no need to change the 21-point format to the new 3×15 scoring system.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: K. MURALI KUMAR