Captain Harmanpreet, Coach Fulton & Indian Men's Hockey's New Dawn

Indian men's hockey team qualified for Paris Olympics after reclaiming the Asiad gold for the first time since 2014.

Harmanpreet Singh, Indian men’s hockey captain, fell to his knees, kissed, and then thumped the turf thrice, looked skyward and then hugged his teammates. Seconds before, India had just won the Asian Games hockey gold, beating reigning champions Japan 5-1, in what can be classified as a dominant display.

Barely eight months earlier, in January, Harmanpreet sat before the Indian media at The Kalinga Stadium, having lost a cross-over match to New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup. The Kiwis had denied India a quarter-final place, equalising 3-3 and then beating India 5-4 in a dramatic 18-shot shoot-out. At 3-3, in the shoot-out, Harmanpreet had a chance to close the match, but agonisingly, saw his shot saved.

It was a sombre moment. Lost for words, Harmanpreet, could hardly get through the press interaction. His face, as if set in stone. Expressionless. Question after question he parried. Not even reaching the quarterfinals was deemed a disaster after the team had picked up a bronze at Tokyo, the Olympic medal coming after 41 years.

Later, while playing the classification matches in Rourkela, Harmanpreet, had said: “It’s difficult to understand as to why things go wrong when they seem perfectly set to go right.”

Even then, all Harmanpreet could see was the blankness on the canvas. It takes character to come back, recalibrate, make the team feel a sense of wholeness, get back totality in form.

Maybe, that’s why last night, with a wrist slowly swelling, ‘I didn’t know when I got hit in the match’ a back playing up," he said. “You have to accept the ups and downs. That’s what everything is all about. It’s also about enjoying these moments and hopefully, we can keep adding and becoming stronger in the months to come.”

After the World Cup, in January, Graham Reid, the coach who took India to the bronze medal at Tokyo, resigned. In his place, came Belgium’s assistant coach Craig Fulton, the man who along with Shane McLeod, took Belgium to the 2018 World Cup, the Tokyo Olympics gold, and the 2023 World Cup silver. In addition, Fulton, also took Ireland to a European bronze and made them qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Fulton’s CV was pitch perfect for a team climbing out of the World Cup 2023 mess.

The Asian Games has always been a two-match tournament. It’s no disrespect to the other teams. Yet, the gap is quite pronounced. Even with that, India had largely under-performed.

After 19 editions (including Hangzhou), this is India’s only 4th gold; nothing comes on a platter, the semis and the final, always a stage for a flip flop performance by the Indians.

The semi-final against South Korea hung in the balance with India leading 4-3 in the 3rd quarter. It was later, in the 4th, that India pulled away 5-3.

The final against Japan, like two wrestlers grappling away, not giving an inch, the first quarter, was an intensely fought goalless bout. Japan packing their defences, loading up before the striking circle, at times, the entire team, defending together, keeping India from running away with a score-line that would have been difficult to cut later.

It was never supposed to be easy. Harmanpreet always points towards life, drawing parallels with hockey, ‘you still have to find a way’ and they did, drawing Japan slowly out without the opposition realising it, finding the gaps, punching holes, not going for a knock-out but slowly reeling in the points. After all, winning is important, if you can’t smash your way through.

That’s where Fulton’s role has been crucial. The mastermind, strategist, he is also a cooling down effect on the team. In fact, in the semi-final, against Korea in the 3rd quarter, after India had conceded twice, gone off the boiler, with a play bordering on the emotional, as players including Harmanpreet, broke away from the structure, Fulton, called in Harmanpreet and had a slight talking to with the captain.

Things moved back to plan in the 4th quarter as India controlled and punched in a 5th to ease themselves into the final.

It is defence solidity that Fulton wants. Something that the team, which thrives and loves an attacking role, has bought into, and firmly believe in. You could see Mandeep Singh, defend in the Indian striking circle and then within the space of a minute go up and score. Same for Abhishek, a poacher, he is constantly lurking around the Indian defence and at times picking up the loose ball and counterattacking with venom.

With a gold medal secured, a spot at the 2024 Paris locked down, what is the way ahead now that the singular target of winning the Asian Games gold has been accomplished. Fulton, looking relieved, relaxed, with the Sword of Damocles sheathed, said: “There is a skeleton plan in place, and we will have to elaborate on that. The Olympic Games is different. In fact, the Asian Games and the Olympics are two separate worlds. But the belief is there. I think we’re back on track and the guys believe that. They’re playing well, enjoying it, the staff is enjoying it and I’m enjoying it. So that’s always a good sign.”

Harman’s calm and composure is also a good sign. He keeps that dispassionate demeanour that cloud of tranquillity hovering above him, but that’s the man himself. “I think the most important thing I have learnt from my life is not to dwell too much – either on happiness or sadness. The most important thing is how quickly you are coming back, how quick can you switch back the focus. We are the No. 1 team in Asia and that is how we should play.”

From the depths of dismay to firmly establishing that they are the top team in Asia in less than a year, Harman and his boys have completed one part of the journey. The crucial part remains with the belief that the rest of the way is conquerable too.