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Tag: Indian men's hockey team

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Paris Olympics: Indian men’s hockey team to open campaign against New Zealand on July 27 | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team is set to commence its journey with a match against New Zealand on July 27 in the upcoming Paris Olympics, as per the schedule unveiled on Wednesday.The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists find themselves in Pool B, where they will face Argentina on July 29, Ireland on July 30, Belgium on August 1, and Australia on August 2.Pool A comprises the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, Great Britain, and South Africa.The quarter-finals are scheduled for August 4, followed by the semi-finals on August 6. The bronze-medal playoff and the final will culminate the hockey competition on August 8.The matches are slated to take place at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in Colombes.Belgium, the defending champions in the men's category, will be looking to defend their ...
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PR Sreejesh and Krishan Pathak, Indian hockey team’s formidable goalkeeping double act, now in a duel to make Paris Olympics

PR Sreejesh has retirement plans. But he has no reason to walk into the sunset just yet.Krishan Pathak is eyeing succession. The understudy, now an heir apparent, patiently waiting for his time. Together, they form the most formidable goalkeeping pair India have had in more than a decade. Alternating quarters, pushing limits and outdoing each other. But when the time comes, in July during the Paris Olympics, one will have to make way for the other. In every other tournament, countries field at least an 18-player squad that includes two goalkeepers. But the squad restrictions at an Olympics, where only 16 members can be entered, mean coaches are often forced to sacrifice a goalkeeper to accommodate an additional outfield player. At the Tokyo Olympics, Sreejesh was the No. 1 goalkeeper by...
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Ahead of Paris Olympics, why Indian hockey team coach Craig Fulton is trying to assemble team of 10 ‘aloos’ and a ‘keeper

In his typical self-effacing manner, Manpreet Singh once said, in a lighter vein, that he is called aloo by his teammates. One of the fittest players in the world, Manpreet was referred to as a humble potato for a simple reason: the utility factor. He could be used anywhere on the field, in any shape the team plays.By extending that logic, India coach Craig Fulton is now trying to assemble a team of 10 aloos and a goalkeeper. A centre-half, Manpreet, has played as a defender and an attacking midfielder. A forward, Gurjant Singh, has dropped back and played on the right of the midfield. Defenders have pushed up, midfielders switch positions among themselves and someone like Hardik Singh has covered literally every part of the field. On Monday, Manpreet started the FIH Pro League match a...
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India hockey coach Craig Fulton interview: ‘We can do something special, but we are not the best team in the world, not there yet’

Indian men’s hockey team head coach Craig Fulton spends his weekends playing golf. And the weekdays – every waking second of it – are spent plotting the path to the podium at the Paris Olympics in July-August.After playing an influential role in the rise of Ireland and Belgium, the South African is now tasked with ensuring India’s growth story continues after the team won the bronze at the Tokyo Games. In an interview with The Indian Express, Fulton talks about his efforts to understand the country’s culture, including the caste system, explains why he roped in renowned sports psychologist Paddy Upton, who will accompany the team for the Olympics, introducing changes to India’s playing style and applying finishing touches to Paris preparations by playing test series in Australia and the...
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PR Sreejesh hands India win over Netherlands in FIH Pro League | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter against the world number one Netherlands with a 4-2 win in a shoot-out during the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh played a pivotal role as he made three crucial saves in the shoot-out, securing the bonus two points for India after the match ended 2-2 in regulation time.Netherlands earned one point from the contest.During the shoot-out, India's captain Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, and Shamsher Singh all successfully scored against the Dutch.In regulation time, Hardik Singh (13th minute) and Harmanpreet (58th) found the net for India, while Jip Janssen (30th) and Koen Bijen scored for the Netherlands.Netherlands applied early pressure on th...
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FIH Hockey Pro League: Eyes on youngsters as Craig Fulton looks to finalise India’s Olympic Games squad in Odisha

The dossiers are getting thicker. And training drills are being designed basis that. As much time is spent indoors – in the meeting rooms of hotels, stadiums, and training centers, plotting the downfall of every opponent – as the minutes spent on the field, where the plans will be put into motion.Every move will be analysed and each match will be an audition. “It’s test matches now. Home stretch,” says coach Craig Fulton. “We are looking to confirm our Olympic squad.” With that, the South African laid down the marker for India’s hockey players. Over the next fortnight, the eight games that India play against the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, and Ireland in the FIH Pro League in Odisha will, in essence, be the selection trials for the Paris Olympics squad. The matches later this year, F...
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India placed in tough Pool B in men’s hockey competition of Paris Olympics | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Asian Games champions and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists Indian men's hockey team faces a challenging draw in Pool B at the upcoming Paris Games.The eight-time champions India have been clubbed with formidable opponents, including reigning Olympic champions and world number two, Belgium, powerhouse Australia, Rio Games gold medallist Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland.India, currently ranked third globally, secured a historic bronze medal in Tokyo, ending a 41-year medal drought. The team has historically found it challenging to overcome opponents like Tokyo silver medallist Australia and Argentina.In Pool A, the competing teams include Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France, and South Africa.The International Hockey Federation (FIH) revealed the pools for both...
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Hockey: How Manpreet Singh bounced back from World Cup 2023 low to finish year on high as a more complete player

For some of India’s top stars, 2023 was the year when they had to pause, reflect and reboot. In some cases, to recover from injuries; in a few others, to rediscover lost form. All in the hope that when the big day comes, they’ll be ready and recharged for the challengeIn Odisha at the World Cup in January, after India lost the shootout against New Zealand to fall short of the quarterfinals, Manpreet Singh was on his knees, staring down at the turf in disbelief. It wasn’t supposed to end this way, for the team that won bronze at Tokyo Olympics. It was, to put it mildly, a disaster to go out that early. In Hangzhou at the Asian Games in October, when the final was deadlocked 0-0 against Japan with five minutes left to go in the first half, India were getting a bit desperate for the openin...
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FIH Player of the Year award a recognition of hard work and perseverance: Hardik Singh | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian men's hockey team vice-captain Hardik Singh on Wednesday said the FIH Player of the Year award is a recognition of his "hard work and perseverance" that he has put in over the years to excel in the sport he loves.Hardik on Tuesday became the third male player from India to win the coveted award, joining Manpreet Singh (2019) and Harmanpreet Singh (2020-21 and 2021-22).Besides Hardik, India women's team skipper Savita Punia won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award for the third consecutive time."It's an absolute honour to receive this esteemed award. I am immensely grateful to my teammates, coaches, and supporters who have been the pillars of my success. This recognition fuels my determination to continue giving my best to the sport I love," Hardik said."The journey to ...
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Paddy’s field work: Blending Indian hockey’s silent and aggressive warriors, defanging opponents into shirt colours & brainstorming in Hindi

Paddy Upton relies on the simplest of techniques to declutter the most complex of subjects.To take away the fear – or complacency – he is training India’s hockey stars to look at their opponents merely as coloured shirts, thus stripping the players of their aura. To deal with the different, clashing personalities within the dressing room, he has bracketed them into two categories: the silent warriors and the ultra-aggressive warriors. Or, as he puts it, the KL Rahuls and the Virat Kohlis. And to define the ‘Indian style’, he falls back on an idiot-proof analogy. “Just go drive on a road in Mumbai and go drive in Belgium. You see a massive difference,” says the South African mind master, who joined the Indian hockey team’s backroom staff this year. “One is unstructured and the other is a...
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Hangzhou Asian Games: Full India schedule on October 6; live updates, live streaming details – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team will take on Japan in the final on Friday at the Hangzhou Asian Games. They will be eyeing a repeat of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, where they won the yellow metal. Men's cricket team will be up against Bangladesh in the semifinal while kabaddi teams also will play their semifinal matches.Follow Timesofindia.com live blog to catch all the action and live updates straight away from Hangzhou.Following is India's Day 13 schedule at the Asian Games on October 6:Sepaktakraw6:30 AM: India vs Myanmar in Men's Regu Preliminary Group BEquestrian6:30 AM: Yash Nensee in Jumping Individual Competition 1Canoe Slalom6:30 AM: Vishal Kewat in Men's Canoe SemifinalCricket6:30 AM:India vs Bangladesh in Men's Semifinal 1Sport Climbing6:30 AM: Bharath Stephen Pereir...
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Hangzhou Asian Games: India enter men’s hockey final with hard-fought 5-3 win over South Korea | Asian Games 2023 News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India emerged victorious over South Korea with a final score of 5-3 in a grueling semifinal match at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Wednesday.Despite India's earlier dominant performances in the pool stages, they faced a formidable challenge from the Korean team, even after taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the first quarter.India, aiming to replicate their success from the 2014 Incheon Asian Games when they secured the gold medal, showed great determination throughout the match.This achievement holds significant importance for the Indian team, as it guarantees them a direct entry into the 2024 Paris Games, following their bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics.The goal-scorers for India were Hardik Singh (5th minute), Mandeep Singh (11th), Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (15th), Amit Roh...
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Asian Games: India rout Uzbekistan 16-0 in men’s hockey goalfest – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team commenced their campaign at the Asian Games with an impressive 16-0 victory over Uzbekistan on Sunday. Lalit Upadhyay, Varun Kumar, and Mandeep Singh all scored hat-tricks as India dominated the match from start to finish in the Pool A encounter.Ranked third in the world, India entered the match as clear favourites against the 66th-ranked Uzbekistan team, and they lived up to expectations by controlling the proceedings throughout the game.Asian Games Day 1Lalit Upadhyay scored four goals in the 7th, 24th, 37th, and 53rd minutes, while Varun Kumar contributed four goals as well in the 12th, 36th, 50th, and 52nd minutes. Mandeep Singh found the net three times in the 18th, 27th, and 28th minutes. Abhishek (17th), Amit Rohidas (38th), Sukhjeet (42nd)...
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Men’s hockey team trying to discover ‘new Indian way’ to do things better, says coach Craig Fulton | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Chief Coach Craig Fulton on Friday stated that the national men's hockey team is currently in a "discovery phase" to explore and implement a "new Indian way" of conducting their activities more effectively.Fulton, who hails from South Africa, also mentioned that the addition of his compatriot and mental conditioning expert, Paddy Upton, to the team will assist them in developing their own unique style and approach rather than solely relying on external instructions.The team is actively working towards finding their own voice and identity in order to enhance their performance."Paddy has been watching the team train in the gym, taken individual sessions this week. He also addressed the team. He will help identify a new Indian way of how we can do things better than we have done...
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Craig Fulton: First target is India to be no.1 in Asia, says new hockey coach Craig Fulton | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Barely two weeks into his new role as head coach of Indian men's hockey team, South African Craig Fulton is pretty clear about his goals -- to make the side number one in Asia and qualify for next year's Olympics in Paris.Fulton, who witnessed the rise of Belgium hockey since 2018, wants India to first dominate Asian hockey and then gradually translating it into the world stage."What I have in my head is to be the no.1 team in Asia. Definitely, it is one of the goals which we want to achieve and be there consistently and then push because if we are sitting on world ranking 4 and 5, you need to consistently try to reach the podium," Fulton said in his first media interaction, held virtually."When you have built enough experience and have a game plan which suits all the individ...
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Indian men and women hockey teams get new support staff | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Renowned Australian coach Anthony Farry has been appointed as the analytical coach of the Indian women's hockey team while South African Rhett Halkett will perform the same role with the men's team, Hockey India announced on Friday.The national federation also announced other support staff members for both the teams.Farry, under whose supervision Canada men's team qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics and who also helped Japan women win their maiden Asian Games gold medal in 2018, will assist head coach Janneke Schopman in his new role.Farry also helped Canada U-21 men's team qualify for two consecutive editions of the Junior World Cups and was the head coach and High Performance Director of USA women's side from August 2020 to April 2022.Besides Farry and Halkett, Hockey India...
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Indian men’s hockey team jumps to fourth place in FIH World Rankings | Hockey News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Riding on the thundering back-to-back wins against Germany and Australia in the Pro League, the Indian men's hockey team jumped two places to fourth in the latest FIH rankings.India moved ahead of Australia, who dropped a place down to fifth.The Netherlands, who won bronze in the World Cup, are at the top spot while runners-up Belgium occupy the second place in the latest FIH rankings.Reigning World champions Germany, who were on top spot, also slipped two places to third spot after losing back-to-back matches to India.India won all their four matches -- two each against Germany and Australia -- in their FIH Pro League matches played at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.India maintains its unbeaten record at the newly built Rourkela stadium after four consecutive wins in th...