Transition, evolution and LA 2028: India cannot afford to bask in the glory of ACT

“We’ve won the ACT three times in a row, and that’s never happened before.

India coach Craig Fulton’s words after India’s Asian Champions Trophy title win on Thursday, November 5 reflected satisfaction at a job well done. His team went undefeated throughout the tournament and even when faced with adversity, they stuck together to get the job done.

The final was perhaps the perfect example of that resilience. India let themselves be dragged along until the 42nd minute when Shilanand Lakra finally opened the door. It was a performance that mirrored their group stage clash with Japan, with the 4-1 scoreline also repeating.

India vs Japan Asian Champions Final: MAIN

“We’ve won the ACT three times in a row, and that’s never happened before. Craig Fulton is happy to see his team meet the target they set for the Asian Champions Trophy. #Hockey #AsianChampionsTrophy : @ALAN_JOSE_JOHN India Today Sports (@ITGDsports) November 5, 2026

India won their sixth Asian Champions Trophy crown and third title in a row, underscoring their dominance over the continent. They re-established themselves as the undisputed kings of Asia.

But was their triumph ever really questioned? The answer is no.

India came to the tournament after winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. Apart from a tricky semi-final against Pakistan, they were rarely pushed to their limits. They also gained direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics, they are giving themselves plenty of time to prepare for Los Angeles.

But that’s where the real challenge begins.

Indian hockey now needs to rethink how it prepares for the biggest tournaments. The disappointing World Cup campaign earlier this year was a stark reminder of where India stand in the global pecking order. They might be the kings in Asia, but there’s still plenty of ground to cover against the world’s heavyweight teams.

So what’s in store for the Indian men’s hockey team? What needs to change as they enter a crucial phase of their Olympic preparation?

COMPETITIVE TRANSFER IN ASIA

It’s no secret that India has little competition in Asia. Their dominance has reached a stage where the gulf between them and the rest of the continent is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

It’s almost reminiscent of a period in French football when Paris Saint-Germain dominated Ligue 1 so thoroughly that many felt they needed a completely different challenge.

PSG were ultimately judged by how they performed in the UEFA Champions League, where the competition was considerably tougher. Indian hockey is also starting to face a similar situation.

Just look at their numbers at ACT 2026. India scored 46 goals, breaking the 40-goal mark for the first time in the competition’s history. It comfortably surpassed their previous best of 30 goals achieved in 2016 and 2018. India claimed the ACT with their third successive triumph. (Photo: Hockey India)

They conceded only seven goals in the entire tournament. At the Asian Games in Nagoya, India were even more prolific, scoring 58 wickets and conceding only eight.

Now compare those numbers to their World Cup campaign and the contrast will be impossible to ignore.

In the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands, India scored a total of 17 wickets. This was the same result as Ireland and Pakistan, with both teams failing to reach the second stage.

India also failed to beat any team above them in the FIH rankings.

The numbers tell a fairly straightforward story. India need to start testing themselves regularly against higher opposition.

There was a time when Test series at home and abroad were given considerable importance. Tri- and quad-nation tournaments have been regular features of the international calendar, giving India the opportunity to compete with the best.

This was also emphasized by Manpreet Singh after the tournament ended.

“We are doing pretty well against the Asian teams but we need to perform even better against the European teams. This will be important for us in the upcoming professional league. When we go to the Olympics, we should make sure that there is no area where we have not done our job or prepared properly,” said Manpreet.

IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE LEAGUE

There may be a school of thought that playing in the FIH Pro League alone will not necessarily transform Indian hockey. After all, the competition is of limited consequence and India’s recent performances have given little indication that they have made the most of the opportunity.

India finished eighth in the Pro League last season, ahead of only Pakistan. They managed only 31 goals in 16 matches. In fact, their best finish in the competition remains third in the 2021-22 season.

In the last two editions, India finished eighth in the nine-team competition. That’s a record that needs to change. Will this ACT three-peat be the boost India needed ahead of LA28? (Photo: Hockey India)

The next two years will therefore become particularly important. The 32 matches in the next two Pro League seasons will offer India a crucial opportunity to test themselves against the best in the world and identify areas that need improvement.

These matches will effectively serve as India’s preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics. More importantly, they will provide the perfect platform to experiment, create combinations and gradually bring in the next generation.

The Indian Pro League campaign begins in February next year. It will be their first major opportunity to compete against elite opposition while also starting the transition to the next Olympic cycle.

TIME OF TRANSITION

It almost looks like players are fed up with the word ‘transition’. Perhaps that explains why Harmanpreet Singh cut short the interview after winning the title on Thursday when asked about expected changes in the team.

But change is inevitable in sports, and Indian hockey has already experienced its first major exit. Nilakanta Sharma immediately brought down the curtain on his international career after ACT.

This could be the beginning of a larger transition, one that could bring about sweeping changes in the national makeup.

Several senior players are nearing the twilight of their careers, while some have also seen their performances decline. Hockey India chairman of selectors RP Singh has made it clear that changes are coming and that no player is guaranteed a place.

“The country has to come first. They’ve all spent 10-12 years together and it’s not easy when someone has to leave the team. It hurts both the person who has to make that decision and the player who is left out.”

“But that’s the reality of sports. One player leaves for another to come in. Nothing is permanent, not even life, so how can anything be permanent in sports? Everyone has to leave one day. Those who understand that and step aside at the right moment retain their dignity and respect,” Singh said.

If this is indeed the direction Indian hockey is heading, future selections will have to be ruthless. Sentiment and past contributions cannot come at the cost of building a team capable of challenging the best in the world.

There was also an argument that the ACT provided an ideal opportunity for India to experiment with a younger team. Instead, the team management decided to give a few players from Punjab an opportunity to play in front of their home fans in Mohali and Jalandhar.

It was an understandable call and didn’t hurt India’s campaign. But the same approach may not work when they come up against bigger teams in international hockey.

For India, the celebrations surrounding ACT’s triumph must be short-lived. The title is another feather in their cap, but it can’t become a distraction from the bigger picture.

Asia can be conquered, but the world remains a completely different challenge. And with the Los Angeles Olympics now firmly on the horizon, India cannot afford to bask in the glory of yet another continental triumph for too long.

– The end