Despite poor results in FIH Pro Hockey League, India can still land a medal at Paris Olympics – Ashok Kumar

Paris Olympics is around the corner, and the Indian contingent is all set to take part in the games. After winning a bronze medal in hockey after 41 years at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Indian team is hoping to change the colour of the medal this year at the Paris Olympics 2024.  

Despite recent bad form in the FIH League, Ashok Kumar believes the team will get a podium finish. On being asked, Can India’s hockey team win a medal at Paris Olympics 2024 despite their struggles in the FIH League?

He said, “Is Olympic ke andar bhartiya team k performance dekhe toh, mujhe satisfactory se uper lagta hai. Team ke andar maine dekha hai ki maarak shamta hai. Team attacking moments banate hai. Hume final test dena hai. Humari team bahut behtar hui hai. Forward line ke moments behtar huye hai. Dusri baat, Harmanpreet, Sumit aur Amit Rohidas humare Corner Specialist ban gye hai.  Aaj ki hockey ka har game penalty corner par pahuch gya hai.”

(If we the performance of the Indian team, I find it more than satisfactory. As part of the team, I have seen that there is great strength. The team creates attacking moments. We have to give the final test. Our team has improved a lot. The moments of the forward line have improved. Secondly, Harmanpreet, Sumit, and Amit Rohidas have become corner specialists. Every game of today’s hockey has reached the penalty corner.)

Ups and Downs are common in Hockey

Ashok Kumar believes that ups and downs are very common the Turf hockey, unlike grass.

“Aaj ki hockey mai, humne world champions ko dekha, is Tarah ke tournaments me ups and downs aate hai. Hockey aisi bani hai ki stability nahi hai. ek Khiladi ka accha khelne ka assessment uske goals ya defence se karte hai. India ki team ka league ke andar performance accha nahi tha, lekin koi baat nahi, aap ek Tarah ki hockey nahi khel sakte hai. Humari team asli mudda league ka nahi balki medals ka hai. India medal la sakta hai.” He added.

(In modern hockey, we have seen world champions go through tough times. Tournaments have ups and downs. Hockey is such that there is no stability. A player’s good play is assessed by his goals or defence. The performance of the Indian team in the league was not good, but never mind, you cannot play one kind of hockey. For our team, the real issue is not about league but about medals. India can win a medal.)

Poor performance in the FIH Pro League

Indian men’s hockey team had a poor European leg of the Pro League, dropping many points in both the Pro League and the world rankings, and they are now in seventh place, only two points behind Argentina.

In the FIH Pro League, India has had a terrible run over the last two months. India has lost 5 of the last 8 league games, with the two wins coming by a razor-thin margin.