India head coach Dragan Mihailovic said the team needs stronger systems and more international exposure after its unbeaten run at the tournament. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

India’s remarkable unbeaten run into the semifinals of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Cup may have marked a watershed moment for the national team, but head coach Dragan Mihailovic believes lasting success will depend on building systems capable of delivering such performances consistently.

Making its maiden appearance at the continental tournament, India reached the last four unbeaten, winning five consecutive matches while dropping just one set.

The campaign has also propelled India from world No. 60 to No. 42 in the FIVB rankings, underlining the rapid progress made in a short period.

Yet, despite the impressive numbers, the Serbian coach insisted the team is only taking its first steps.

“My job has been to create a structure and build a system that the players can trust,” Dragan told PTI.

“One of the biggest changes has been bringing discipline and consistency into the system. We’ve tried to help the boys believe in their playing style and simplify certain aspects of defensive play while reducing unforced errors because matches are often decided by the smallest of margins.”

The coach said the month-long national camp before the tournament had allowed the team to prepare specifically for each opponent, with the players quickly adapting to a more structured tactical approach.

“We’ve had a month’s time to train and strategise against each of the opponents, which has tremendously helped the team. The boys have adapted to it quickly and shown good temperament under pressure,” he said.

The achievement assumes greater significance considering India entered the tournament after limited international exposure and a relatively short preparation window.

“I’ve always believed in the abilities of this group. The results have been good so far, but this is just the beginning; we have a long way to go,” Dragan said.

“We’ve achieved this with minimum exposure and limited time together. We need more international exposure, high-level competition environments and opportunities to consistently play against the best teams in Asia and the world. Potential is one thing; sustaining results is what makes a team or a nation great.”

The campaign has also unfolded against the backdrop of administrative uncertainty in Indian volleyball.

Earlier this year, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) revoked the recognition of the Volleyball Federation of India, citing governance and administrative concerns, and handed the sport’s day-to-day affairs to a steering committee comprising representatives from the FIVB and the Indian Olympic Association until fresh elections are conducted.

The governance crisis had cast uncertainty over the sport’s immediate future and followed concerns over player welfare and the functioning of the federation.

Against that backdrop, India’s unbeaten run and surge in the world rankings have provided a timely boost, shifting attention back to performances on the court.

Even amid the off-court uncertainty, India’s rise has also coincided with the growing influence of the Prime Volleyball League, which has completed five seasons and provided Indian players an opportunity to compete alongside leading international players and coaches.

Dragan acknowledged the league’s contribution but said domestic competition alone cannot close the gap with Asia’s elite nations.

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“The Prime Volleyball League has been great for Indian volleyball because it has raised the overall standards of play.

“We need longer national camps, consistent international exposure tours and tournaments, development of coaching pathways, India hosting more international competitions and the overall volleyball ecosystem taking responsibility.

“Indian players definitely have the skills, but they need the experience of playing regularly against the world’s top players and teams to reach the next level.”

India’s performances in Ahmedabad have also built on the momentum generated by last year’s silver-medal finish at the CAVA Men’s Volleyball Nations League.

The encouraging run also comes a few months before the Asian Games, although Dragan was quick to temper expectations despite India’s unbeaten campaign.

“This tournament will certainly give us confidence in our abilities, disciplined play and commitment, but we shouldn’t rely too much on the results,” he said.

“We understand that the top three Asian teams are not here, and we know what it takes to become one of the top five teams in Asia.”

For that to happen, the coach believes India must strengthen its development pathway by identifying talent earlier and creating a more robust high-performance structure.

“We need better systems where the best talents across age groups come into the national centre of excellence and their progression is regularly analysed. That will broaden the national team pool.

“We have to keep improving our standards in training, continue learning from tournament environments and expose ourselves to teams that play different styles of volleyball. If we continue doing that consistently, Indian volleyball will keep moving in the right direction,” he said.

Published on Jun 27, 2026