India once again won hockey gold at the men’s Asian Games. But was it really that special?

Indian hockey hit a sensational high in Nagoya as both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals after undefeated campaigns.

Indian women ended a 44-year wait for gold and won their first Asian Games title since 1982. The men, meanwhile, stormed out and retained their crown, re-establishing themselves as the best team in Asia.

Yet, strangely enough, the celebrations did not quite match the success.

The female gold was greeted with a rush of joy. It was the result everyone was hoping for, but it was far from guaranteed. The male triumph, on the other hand, was almost routine. The celebrations, at least from the outside, seemed a little more subdued.

Perhaps it was because even before the tournament began, Harmanpreet Singh and Co. they win the gold. Anything else would be considered a failure.

This sentiment was perfectly encapsulated by PR Sreejesh’s tweet after India’s win over Malaysia.

“No big deal, we won. We should have won. We’re the Asian champions. And yes, WE’RE GOING TO LA! Now’s the time to celebrate!” said Sreejesh.

The legendary goalkeeper was of course celebrating the victory. But his words also raised an interesting question.

Did winning really not seem strange to you?

Was it just another victory for a team expected to dominate?

We decided to investigate why India’s men’s hockey gold didn’t carry quite the same weight as the women’s triumph.

THE DECLINE OF ASIAN HOCKEY

Perhaps the biggest reason lies in the state of Asian hockey itself.

The continent’s hockey landscape seems to be in decline at the moment and this trend was revealed at the World Cup. India finished eighth, but none of the other Asian teams managed to break into the top 10.

Pakistan finished 11th, Japan 14th and Malaysia 15th. Korea, a four-time winner of the Asian Games, did not even qualify for the tournament.

For India, this meant that the biggest challenge was missing even before the competition really got going.

Apart from the semi-final match against Pakistan, Harmanpreet and co. goals almost at will.

Three of their group stage matches ended with a difference of 10 goals or more. India outscored Korea for eight, while Japan were the only side to keep them to just two goals.

Even the final, which looked close in the initial stages, eventually turned into another one-sided affair as India ran out 5-1 winners.

So while the gold medal was thoroughly deserved, there was little suspense surrounding India’s march to the top.

And that may have taken the shine off it a bit.

KOCHINA WORLD CUP

For all the goals India have scored, there have been moments where their problems from last month’s World Cup have returned.

The match against Pakistan was the clearest example.

India were 3-0 up and looked set to score more. Then came the familiar drop in intensity. Pakistan fought their way back into the match to make it 3-3 before India needed some luck in the last minute to seal the win.

Once again, the defensive lapses and discipline problems that plagued India in Belgium and the Netherlands were on display.

All three of Pakistan’s goals came after India lost their defensive shape, committed unnecessary fouls or picked cards.

“Craig Fulton said before the World Cup that they work hard on defence, you know. Even against Pakistan in that game, you didn’t see that we worked hard on defence,” former goalkeeper Romeo James said.

The job was finally done, but these are not new concerns.

They have held back since the start of the year when the Indian Hockey Pro League campaign ended in disappointment. The FIFA World Cup only amplified them and the Asian Games did little to erase them.

WOMEN LEAD THE WAY

If the Indian women taught one big lesson in Nagoya, it’s that a team can be transformed when freshness, structure and modern ideas come together.

Sjoerd Marijne deserves credit for turning the women’s team into a cohesive unit, but it was the way he incorporated modern hockey into their game that worked a treat.

He brought in fitness and mental conditioning experts and helped turn a once injury-plagued team into one that looked physically and mentally ready for the biggest moments.

He also brought in specialist goalkeeping coaches to work with players like Savita Punia and Bichu Devi, who helped sharpen the fine margin that can decide matches. Savita Punia arrives in India after winning gold at the Women’s Asian Games. (Courtesy: PTI)

There was a feeling of freshness in the team. More importantly, everyone knew exactly what to do.

“They fought well. The defense was good. They looked good right from the start, they played well as a team and all the credit should go to the team, the coaches and the support staff,” James said.

Meanwhile, the men’s team experienced something similar.

Hangzhou felt like a new beginning for India. They ended the 2018 Asian Games with a bronze medal and survived the horror world championships on home soil.

Then came Craig Fulton, armed with new ideas and a clear tactical vision. India suddenly looked unstoppable.

In each match, India won by at least two goals, defeating Pakistan 10–2.

It was felt that something new was about to happen.

This time, however, this freshness seemed to be missing.

Fulton’s build-from-the-back mantra seems to have run its course, or at least needs to be reconsidered. The World Cup exposed the cracks and the Asian Games did not completely cover them.

A reset may be necessary in the Olympic cycle.

HOCKEY INDIA WAR

Then there is the noise away from the pitch.

While India performed well in Nagoya, the infighting within Hockey India and the power struggle between President Dilip Tirkey and General Secretary Bhola Nath Singh continued to intensify.

It was impossible to completely separate the team from the chaos surrounding the federation.

James, who was recently part of the hockey legends’ protest in Delhi, believes players may not be immune to it either.

“They shouldn’t be fighting within the federation because it will come down to the team. They were playing and this fight happened between the president and the secretary. The players maybe in tournament mode but it will affect them. No doubt the fights in Hockey India will affect the players. They will have to sort it out in the future,” James said.

With the November elections in Hockey India, the battle could soon reach another flare-up.

But politics dominating the headlines is hardly ideal for a team preparing for the Olympic cycle.

Players may be able to suppress noise during the tournament. But the persistent instability surrounding the sport may eventually seep into the locker room.

THE WAY FORWARD

Now that the Asian Games are done and dusted, attention will shift towards Los Angeles.

And for the Indian men’s team, it means more than preparing to defend their Olympic bronze medal.

A serious rethinking of the team’s goals, its structure, and ultimately its personnel is needed.

Many of the current players are entering their fourth or fifth Olympic cycle. The fitness level of veteran players like Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Amit Rohidas has remained impressive but perhaps the time has come to bring in fresh blood.

“I hope they bring in new blood. Those who are replaced should make way for good players, youngsters. Right now most of the players in the team have 100 or more games. Now is the time to bring in new people,” James said. File photo by Amit Rohidas. (Courtesy: Reuters)

But rebuilding the platoon will only solve part of the problem.

India also need to test themselves more regularly against better opposition.

At the World Cup, India failed to beat any team ranked above them in the FIH rankings. They will now face off again in an Asian competition in the form of the Asian Champions Trophy, which is unlikely to provide the scrutiny they need.

“Playing the better teams. Right now we have to focus on the better teams, playing them. You can send your teams to Europe and play against them, or you can invite them,” James said.

“So when you play the better teams, you automatically improve, and when you put blood into the team, they become aware. They will connect with the experienced ones and play better.”

“So we have to be positive about it.

That positivity is important.

Because despite all the apprehensions, India did what was expected of them in Nagoya. They went undefeated, won gold and secured a spot at the Los Angeles Olympics.

In the end, James was clear: a winner is a winner.

“A winner is a winner and the fact that they qualified for LA is a big deal because qualifying itself is hard work. So a win is a win,” James said.

And that is perhaps the most important thing to remember.

The Asian Games gold medal is not a failure because it was not dramatic enough. It is not reduced because India was expected to win it.

But if the celebrations have been muted, perhaps that’s because the real test is yet to come.

Los Angeles is the destination. The Asian Games was just another checkpoint.

Before they get there, India need to rediscover what made this team exciting. They need better opposition, fresh faces, sharper defense and a clearer sense of purpose.

Above all, they need to bring back the feeling that every victory matters.

Because such an important gold medal should never remain in the shadows.

– The end