FILE PHOTO: Jarmanpreet agrees that the upcoming Pro League games against the Netherlands, Germany, England and Pakistan are crucial for what lies ahead in 2026. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

It’s been almost four months since the Indian men’s hockey team was crushed 0-8 by Argentina in a FIH Pro League match in Rourkela.

The fans of the team were angry. Hockey India president, Dilip Tirkey felt the players, especially the seniors, appeared “too casual on the field.”

Craig Fulton, the head coach, demanded accountability and the need to have honest conversations to come back stronger.

Since then, the team has played six more games in the competition - two at home and four in Australia. It is still searching for its first win in regulation time.

Performances in the next few months could decide how the team shapes up for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 with the calendar featuring the European leg of the Pro League, the World Cup and the all-important Asian Games.

Fulton and his staff have been busy preparing the team for a gruelling schedule with multiple camps at SAI, Bengaluru, focussing on strength and conditioning as well as tactical analysis.

Another factor, which has gained importance in these camps, is nutrition. The team has a new nutritionist, Mira Kapoor, who is preparing diet plans according to each player’s workload.

“They prepare your diet plan according to how much you sweat after training. If it is a hard session, we’ll have more carbohydrates and less proteins before training. Before a green session, our diet before training includes more protein. Personally, I really like it. Earlier, we didn’t know this,” Abhishek, the team’s forward, tells  Sportstar.

“How you manage your hydration. Glucose levels have been checked for certain players for two weeks, diet changes, what to eat before a certain session, we have worked a lot on this,” says experienced defender Jarmanpreet Singh.

Whether the focussed approach has helped or not will only be determined when the team takes the field against the Netherlands on June 14 for its first Pro League in Europe. But Abhishek feels a change already. “We are sharper and the injuries are less. I have reduced fat and gained some muscle,” says the 26-year-old from Haryana.

Polishing skills during the camps

The best teams around the world play with a solid defence and punish the opponent’s minor mistakes.

The Indian team is well aware of this fact and hence, has been working on its strengths and weaknesses on the field.

“I have concentrated a lot on my tackling. If I join the attack and enter the opponent’s D, then how can I finish the move,” says Jarmanpreet, the 29-year-old defender from Punjab with 151 caps to his name.

“We also had one-on-one meetings with the coaches who had the stats to show where we did well and where we lacked. Accordingly, we also had customised drills.”

For a striker like Abhishek, the demands of the game are different. Focusing on basics is important. “I have been aiming for the right connection between the ball and the stick inside the circle. Also, the connection with the other forward,” he says.

Another thing which Abhishek would love to show on the global stage is something he learned during the latest Hockey India League season. At Shrachi Bengal Tigers, he had Belgians Tommy Willems and Gauthier Boccard as his teammates. “I had a lovely friendship with them and learnt 3D skills from them. I have not reached their level yet but I’ve definitely improved,” he says.

Using Pro League as a base for World Cup, Asian Games

Both Abhishek and Jarmanpreet agree that the upcoming Pro League games against the Netherlands, Germany, England and Pakistan - the latter two are also in India’s group for the World Cup in August - are crucial for what lies ahead.

“The structure in which our upcoming opponents play and how we manage to respond to that is something we have been working on. The Pro League is a good opportunity for the team to grow before getting to face the same teams in the World Cup so that you can know more about them.”

The wounds of defeats inflicted by the 0-8 hammering against Argentina don’t heal easily but in professional sport, moving on is important. “ Wo cheez abhi bhi khatak rahi hai (It still bothers us),” says Abhishek.

“But we have to move on. Otherwise, we won’t be able to play in the future.”

Published on Jun 01, 2026