India’s lacklustre campaign in the FIH Pro League — losing seven of their last eight matches — has triggered a strategic reset ahead of the Asia Cup, which begins August 27 in Rajgir, Bihar.
Head coach Craig Fulton admitted the team fell short, particularly in key moments, and has now made defensive stability the top priority as the core group trains at the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru.
The Pro League was disappointing in terms of results, even though we hit some of our performance targets. We lost matches from winning positions. So now, a lot of focus is on being tactically smarter at crucial times.
Two Key Areas: Solid Defence & Sharp Finishing
Fulton outlined a two-fold focus:
• Strengthening the backline in the ‘Dee’
• Creating more scoring chances in the attacking circle
We’re still not at 100%. We need to keep working on conditioning and reducing basic errors. But some of the work we’ve done is starting to bear fruit.
The South African also emphasised the importance of the final phase execution, an area where India let matches slip despite promising starts.
Building Bench Strength: India A and the Bigger Picture
As the team builds towards the next Olympic cycle, Fulton hinted at a transitional phase already underway.
We’ve already started building depth, especially through the India A squad who toured Europe. Healthy competition for places is essential. We’ll select 24 from the current camp to travel to Australia, and from there, choose the final 18+2 for the Asia Cup.
Fulton also reflected on the broader lessons from the Pro League:
“Everything matters — travel, squad rotation, workload. We handled it well, but injuries, like Harmanpreet’s, did affect us. On the flip side, it gave us a chance to test our bench strength.”
Harmanpreet: “No Excuses. We Must Improve.”
Team captain Harmanpreet Singh, who missed five matches due to injury, made his return against Belgium — India’s only win in the latter stages of the Pro League.
Calling the tournament a “learning experience,” the 29-year-old drag-flicker refused to hide behind injuries:
Injuries happen, but that’s no excuse. We were close in many games, but results matter. We’re working hard to not repeat those mistakes.
Defence is the Backbone, Says the Captain
Harmanpreet echoed his coach’s sentiments — emphasising the need for a collective defensive effort.
“If we don’t defend well, it costs us. And when we try to recover from early damage, we make more errors. A strong defence not only protects the goal but creates attacking chances too — especially penalty corners. That’s our core focus for the Asia Cup.”
