FIH Hockey World Cup: Harmanpreet Singh Dreams of Ending India’s 51-Year Title Drought

Captain Harmanpreet’s big dream

IIE DIGITAL: Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh is determined to lead the team towards a historic breakthrough at the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup. As he prepares to captain India in the tournament for the second time, Harmanpreet believes the team has the strength and confidence to end a 51-year wait for a World Cup medal.

India’s legacy in world hockey has been remarkable, especially in the early years of the tournament. The team won bronze in the 1971 edition, silver in 1973 and created history by lifting the World Cup trophy in 1975. However, since that golden moment in Kuala Lumpur, India have struggled to return to the podium despite remaining one of the sport’s most respected teams.

Harmanpreet now wants to follow the path of Ajit Pal Singh, India’s only World Cup-winning captain. Ajit Pal led the team to a bronze medal in 1971 before guiding India to their first and only World Cup title in 1975.

The Indian skipper believes recent Olympic achievements have given the team the confidence needed to challenge for major honours. He pointed to India’s bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, which ended a 41-year Olympic medal wait, as a turning point for the team. Harmanpreet feels the next big goal is to end India’s long wait for World Cup success.

After leading India to consecutive Olympic bronze medals at Tokyo and Paris, the star defender believes the current 20-member squad is capable of competing against the best teams in the world. India have been placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, and will begin their World Cup journey against Wales on August 15.

Harmanpreet said the team’s performances in the FIH Hockey Pro League, especially during the final stages in Rotterdam and London, showed significant improvement. The squad is now focused on building on that progress and entering the World Cup with greater belief and preparation.

Head coach Craig Fulton has also worked on strengthening India’s squad depth by testing different combinations during the 2025-26 Pro League season. Although the team finished eighth, the experience helped identify key areas that need improvement before the biggest tournament.

According to Harmanpreet, consistency will be crucial for India’s success. The team will need to stay focused, follow their strategy and avoid mistakes that can change the outcome of important matches.

The captain also stressed the importance of being more effective in the striking circle, both while attacking and defending. Converting opportunities, improving penalty corner execution and maintaining defensive discipline will be among India’s biggest priorities.

With renewed confidence and a hunger to create history, Harmanpreet Singh and his team are ready to take on the world stage. Their mission is clear: bring back World Cup glory and end one of the longest medal waits in Indian hockey history.