The Indian men’s hockey team, governed by Hockey India, ranks among the most accomplished sides in global sport. It dominated the Olympic stage from 1928 to 1956, securing six consecutive gold medals and setting a benchmark no team has matched. Overall, India has won eight Olympic golds and a record 13 medals, the highest tally in the sport’s history. Moreover, it clinched the 1975 Hockey World Cup and multiple Asian Games titles, thereby consolidating its continental supremacy. However, after a prolonged decline, the team rebuilt with intent; consequently, it returned to the podium with bronze medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, signalling renewed competitiveness and a more structured high-performance pathway.
In an exclusive interaction with The Interview World at the Hockey India 8th Annual Awards 2025, Craig Fulton outlines India’s evolving competitive edge on the global stage. He identifies critical on-field areas that demand improvement for sustained international success. In addition, he pinpoints the players expected to drive outcomes in high-stakes matches. Finally, he assesses the principal rivals likely to pose the most formidable challenges to India’s ambitions. The following are the key takeaways from this incisive conversation.
Q: How competitive is Indian hockey on the global stage today?
A: This is an exciting phase for us. The World Cup pools have now been announced; consequently, we have clear visibility on our immediate competitive landscape. We are grouped with England, Pakistan, and Wales, therefore, the pool is challenging. Nevertheless, we respect every opponent; at the same time, the draw energizes us.
Meanwhile, we are preparing for the Pro League, which serves as a critical competitive runway. Accordingly, our training is aligned to peak performance in that tournament. Thereafter, we will finalise a balanced and competition-ready squad for both the World Cup and the Asian Games.
Q: From an Indian perspective, which on-field performance areas must be strengthened to achieve consistently better results in international hockey?
A: We must strengthen both defence and attack. Specifically, we need to tighten our structure on penalty corner defence (PCD) and improve efficiency in penalty corner attack (PCA). At the same time, we must increase our field-goal conversion rate. In addition, we need to restore sharper connections on the counter-attack to transition more effectively.
Accordingly, we will prioritise these areas over the next three months. We are working with clear intent and structured focus; therefore, we are confident of correcting these gaps and achieving the right tactical balance.
Q: Which key players are critical to influencing match outcomes and turning games in India’s favour in international hockey?
A: Success will come from the collective, not from any single individual. Accordingly, I will not single out one player above the rest. We have high-quality strikers, disciplined midfielders, resilient defenders, and reliable goalkeepers; therefore, our strength lies in balance across units. When we move to selection, the merit-based choices will be evident and clearly justified.
Q: Which countries are likely to pose the most significant challenges to the India men’s national field hockey team in international competitions?
A: We must elevate our performance away from home. Accordingly, we will prepare meticulously for fixtures in Europe, where the style of play differs markedly. The World Cup is both demanding and protracted; therefore, we must sustain intensity and execution over an extended period. Then, just three weeks later, we transition to the Asian Games. We enter that tournament as defending champions; consequently, we must deliver back-to-back performances of the highest standard.
At the same time, we remain mindful that India last won the World Cup 50 years ago. Therefore, we aim to return to the podium. However, our approach is disciplined and inward-looking: we control what we can, and we take it one game at a time.
