India’s women have given Indian hockey plenty to believe in

The Indian women’s team were unable to make the semi-finals of the Hockey World Cup, and many will say it was a below-par effort. But was it really? biznow.biz

Just a year ago, the team were relegated from the Pro League. They lost almost everything, and things had come to a pass. Even qualifying for the World Cup was in doubt, while losing to China had become the norm.

At this World Cup, however, the only match India lost was against Olympic champions the Netherlands. Yibbi Jansen and the Dutch are unmatched at the moment and, even against them, India’s defensive formation was excellent. Against China, India drew 2-2 after leading twice. Against England, it was another 0-0 draw, while Australia were also held to a goalless draw on Sunday.

Clearly, coach Sjoerd Marijne has done things right. More than anything, there is self-belief. Savita and Bichu Devi have both had stellar tournaments and, while the midfield and forward line still need to improve, there can be little doubt that India are a much-improved side.

There is also an interesting contrast with the men’s team. While the men have struggled for consistency and have failed to turn promise into sustained results, the women have shown remarkable progress after a difficult period. The women have gone into the World Cup, competed against some of the world’s best and, importantly, refused to wilt under pressure. At a time when Indian hockey needs signs of a revival, the women have arguably provided the more convincing evidence that a team can move forward quickly when the right process is in place.

Ahead of the World Cup, if someone had told me that the women would play for fifth or sixth place and even have a chance of making the semi-finals, I would have taken that result any day. The group was the toughest, and in every sense the Indians have shown fight.

So much so that an Asian Games gold no longer seems beyond them. It would mean automatic qualification for LA28, allowing Marijne the necessary time to work on the team and get them Olympic-ready. All the signs so far have been positive and, if Marijne can get the team to this level in the six months since February, there is every reason to believe that Indian women’s hockey is in safe hands.

Two things have stood out for me during this campaign. First, fitness-wise, the girls have been right up there. Second, in defence, they have been resolute.

At no point in any of the games did it seem that the Indians were wilting, and that is a massive requirement in modern hockey. Physical fitness translates into mental fitness, particularly late in matches, when teams can concede goals under pressure. We have not seen that from India, and that is a big plus.

The defensive shape has also been excellent. Salima Tete has led the team well and, even without a goalkeeper against Australia in the final few minutes, she managed to stave off a penalty corner. For a team that was down in the dumps just nine months ago, these are very strong signs of improvement.

Nothing changes overnight, and to expect things to happen in a matter of months is unrealistic. Having said that, a process is clearly in place and we should expect a strong showing from the team at the Asian Games.

From what we have seen at the World Cup, India should not settle for anything less than gold. That would allow the team adequate time for Olympic preparation without having to worry about the qualifiers.

Semi-finals or not, the World Cup has shown that Indian women’s hockey is on the right track.

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India’s men’s hockey team arrived at the 2026 World Cup with genuine hopes of going deep into the tournament. Instead, their campaign ended in the championship stage, leaving behind a familiar feeling of frustration. The quality was there, the experience was there, and the team had already shown during the Pro League that it could compete with the best. But when the World Cup demanded something different, India could not find the answers quickly enough.

The warning signs were visible from the beginning. India’s opening defeat to England put them under pressure early. They had led 2-1 but eventually lost 4-2, leaving little room for another slip-up. The win over Pakistan kept the campaign alive, but the bigger challenge was always going to come against teams such as the Netherlands and Argentina. Those matches exposed the areas India had struggled with throughout the tournament.

Craig Fulton’s team has been built around defensive organisation and quick attacks after winning the ball. It is a style that has worked for India. The problem was not the philosophy itself. The problem was what happened when opponents stopped giving India the space required to make that approach effective.

Against stronger teams, India struggled to take control through the middle of the pitch. Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh were still important figures, but India often found it difficult to turn possession recoveries into sustained pressure. Too many attacks ended before they could properly develop, leaving the forwards with limited opportunities.

That also explains why it would be unfair to put the entire burden of criticism on the forward line. Players such as Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Dilpreet Singh still have important roles to play, but forwards need service. When the ball does not reach the attacking third with enough quality or regularity, finishing becomes only part of the problem.

The other concern was tempo. India had looked sharper in transition during the Pro League. At the World Cup, particularly against the better sides, the movement of the ball was not always quick enough. For a team that relies heavily on turning defensive recoveries into attacking opportunities, even a small delay can allow the opposition to regroup.

There was also a tactical question. India needed another route when the counterattack was not available. Fulton has spoken about the team being capable of playing faster attacking hockey, but the tournament did not show India executing that alternative consistently enough. If that was the second plan, it needed to become a more familiar part of the team’s game before the pressure matches arrived.

The players cannot escape responsibility either. Experienced internationals are expected to recognise when a match is drifting away from the original plan. Against Argentina, India looked flat for periods despite having enough time to change the contest. Harmanpreet Singh eventually moved higher and tried to influence the game from another area, showing the kind of initiative that India needed more consistently.

The comparison with Paris 2024 is important. Many of these players were part of the Olympic bronze-winning side. The quality has not disappeared overnight. At Paris, India were able to rely on their defensive structure and showed remarkable resilience, including in the quarter-final against Great Britain after playing much of the match with ten men.

The World Cup offered a different challenge. The new format left less room for recovery, while the championship stage forced India to chase results. That exposed a weakness in their ability to dictate games when patience and counterattacking alone were not enough.

So where does India go from here?

The next major target is the Asian Games, where India will enter as defending champions. They have been placed in Pool A alongside Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand are in the other group, meaning the traditional rivalry with Pakistan can only happen once the knockout rounds arrive.

For India, this tournament carries significance beyond another gold medal. Winning the Asian Games would secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Given India’s standing in Asian hockey, anything less will be viewed as a disappointment.

But the Asian Games should not simply become an opportunity to forget the World Cup. It should be used to address what went wrong. India need greater control in midfield, quicker ball movement and a more reliable attacking option when opponents sit deep. The balance between attacking numbers and defensive security also needs work.

The core of this team still has plenty to offer. Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh bring experience, while the younger players need to be given the responsibility to grow alongside them.

The World Cup has ended, but the road to Los Angeles is already beginning. India’s next challenge is not just to win the Asian Games. It is to make sure that when the next major tournament forces them outside their comfort zone, they have the answers ready.

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London [UK], August 25 (ANI): England have called up inexperienced pacer Sonny Baker to their squad for the second ICC World Test Championship clash against Pakistan, with Brydon Carse omitted from the 16-man group.

Carse has been left out while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigates an incident from the weekend. Baker, meanwhile, could earn his second Test cap after making his debut against New Zealand at The Oval in June, as per the ICC website.

Carse would not be available for selection for the second Test against Pakistan as he is under investigation for a nightclub incident in Derby on Saturday night. Carse was released to play for Durham in the County Championship after missing out on selection for the first Leeds Test and celebrated their win over Derbyshire on Saturday.

On Sunday, a video emerged of the pacer being surrounded by cops and being led away from the venue, which was reported to be Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern in Derby. As per Cricinfo, he was also briefly arrested on suspicion of being drunk and acting disorderly at the venue.

England confirmed the player switch via a statement.

“Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby," the statement read.

“Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the Second Men’s Rothesay Test Match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained. Brydon will be replaced in the squad for this match by Sonny Baker."

England won the series opener at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs and will look to seal the series at Lord’s while continuing their climb up the World Test Championship standings.

England currently sit seventh in the table, with Pakistan languishing in ninth.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Sonny Baker, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue. (ANI)

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Opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran was officially named Afghanistan's T20I captain on Monday for the upcoming three-match series against India. Marking his first series as Afghanistan's full-time T20I skipper, Zadran will lead a full-strength team in what serves as Afghanistan's designated 'home series' hosted at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi from September 13 to 17.

The squad features key returns, headlined by experienced pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. The bowler re-enters the national lineup following his recovery from a right shoulder stress fracture that sidelined him from the West Indies series and the T20 World Cup 2026. Naveen reinforces a pace attack alongside Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Azmatullah Omarzai.

Veteran all-rounder Gulbadin Naib also steps back into the team to bolster the middle order and offer an additional medium-pace option. Spin star Rashid Khan headlines an elite spin unit alongside Noor Ahmad and Nangyal Kharoti, joined by veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman has earned a call-up to support first-choice wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz following strong domestic and Shpageeza Cricket League displays.

Highlighting the selection, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan shared the board's outlook.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board has always made every effort to select a well-balanced and fully prepared squad for all relevant competitions."

"We have followed the same approach for the upcoming series against India, and I hope the Afghanistan team will deliver an outstanding performance in these matches," he said.

The Afghanistan contingent is scheduled to arrive in India shortly to start final preparations and acclimatisation sessions ahead of the fixture opener.

Earlier in the year, India hosted Afghanistan in a one-off Test match, which India won comfortably, as Manav Suthar starred with the ball and Shubman Gill scored a century with the bat.

Afghanistan squad for Indian tour:

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq.

Reserves: Ijaz Ahmadzai, Shahidullah Kamal, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

T20I Series Schedule (New Delhi):

1st T20I: September 13
2nd T20I: September 15
3rd T20I: September 17

Former Indian cricketers expressed their disappointment over Yashasvi Jaiswal's fiery exchange with Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando during the second Test match, which followed Jaiswal's dismissal. Both players faced fines and demerit points from the ICC as a consequence. Pujara and Raman highlighted the impact of Jaiswal's frustration on the incident, while Karim emphasized the importance of setting a positive example for young cricket enthusiasts.