Mumbai: Just a few days before the start of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, former India captain and two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh has listed the Indian team as a favourite to make it to the last-four stage and termed anything better than that as “a bonus”.
India, winner of the 1975 World Cup, have not reached the semifinals for five decades. However, after failing to win an Olympic medal for four decades, the Indian men’s team won a bronze medal in the 2020 edition in Tokyo and followed it up with a second bronze medal in Paris 2024.
Sreejesh said the Indian team has the quality and depth to achieve a top-four finish in the 16th edition, which will be held in Wavre (Belgium) and Amstelveen (the Netherlands) from August 14 to 30.
“The FIH Hockey World Cup is the second biggest tournament in hockey after the Olympics, and naturally, the whole world is watching, and all eyes are on you. That brings a lot of pressure. But you cannot let that pressure affect your game. When you start thinking too much about it, your performance drops. And when your performance drops, the pressure increases even more,” Sreejesh said, speaking to JioStar.
“So the key is to stay calm, focus on your role, and trust your training. Most importantly, you are playing in the World Cup. This is what you have worked for. Just enjoy the moment and give your best on the pitch,” said Sreejesh.
On the performance expectations from the Indian Men’s Hockey Team in the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, Sreejesh said, “In my opinion, the way this team is set up and the progress we have made, a top four finish is the minimum we should aim for. Looking at the pool we have been drawn in, we have the quality and the depth to achieve that.
“Anything beyond that- silver, gold, or bronze- would be a bonus. The team is playing with confidence, and we have the experience to handle big games. We should not settle for less. The target is clear; we are here to compete and make our mark,” he added.
The FIH Men’s & Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026 will have 16 teams in each category. Sixteen teams will participate in the World Cups for the third time after the expansion in 2018.
Germany are the defending champions after defeating Belgium 5–4 in a shootout after the match finished 3–3 in regular time in Bhubaneswar in 2023.
(IANS)
