Mumbai: The Indian men’s hockey team kicked off their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign against Wales , eager to start strong as they chase an end to a 51-year wait for the sport’s biggest trophy. In conversation with JioStar, India captain Harmanpreet Singh spoke about the team’s larger goal of going all in for the title, why defence will be the backbone of their campaign, and the importance of staying focused on the game itself rather than getting caught up in external noise ahead of the high-stakes Pakistan clash.
On India’s determination to end the 51-year wait for the World Cup:
Harmanpreet didn’t hold back on what this World Cup means to the squad. He said that with several senior players in the team, nobody quite knows what the future holds beyond this tournament, which makes it feel like a real opportunity that can’t be wasted. Given how hard the team has trained and worked, he said there’s genuine belief that they can pull this off — and that winning a medal remains the only real goal. He pointed to the team’s back-to-back Olympic medals in Tokyo and Paris as a major source of motivation heading into this campaign, even as India enters the World Cup as underdogs. He sees that underdog tag as the perfect platform to show the world what Indian hockey is truly capable of. While he acknowledged that talking about winning is easy and the road ahead will be tough, he insisted the team is ready, trusts each other deeply, and is carrying a positive mindset into the tournament. For him, it doesn’t matter who scores or who defends — what matters is winning together as a team, and that’s exactly the approach they plan to take.
On why defence will be central to India’s campaign:
Harmanpreet was clear that defence will be the team’s number one priority. He explained that if India can defend well through the tournament, they’ll be well on their way to achieving what they came for. He said the team has trained extensively on this front, working through every defensive structure — full press, half press, low press — via individual meetings and group discussions with the squad. According to him, strong defence naturally creates opportunities to consistently push into the opponent’s circle, and from there, the real challenge lies in converting 50-50 chances, receiving the ball cleanly under pressure, and making smart decisions in the D — whether that means a shot at goal or winning a penalty corner.
On senior players like Manpreet Singh:
Speaking about his bond with senior teammate Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet described a relationship built since their junior days, one rooted in years of trust and understanding. He expressed gratitude to Manpreet for believing in him and backing his leadership. He shared that even away from camp, the core group — himself, Manpreet, Mandeep, and Dilpreet — naturally gravitate towards each other, and that closeness carries over onto the field, where the understanding between defenders and midfielders runs deep, right down to eye contact and instinctive passing. He added that this tight bond within the defensive unit ensures there’s never a communication gap. With this being the fourth World Cup for both Manpreet and Mandeep, and his own third, Harmanpreet said having senior players step up in crunch moments gives the entire team confidence — and he feels fortunate that India has experienced leaders balancing every line, from Mandeep up front to Manpreet in midfield to the defenders at the back.
On India’s opponents in Pool D:
Harmanpreet noted that most teams in the pool generally stick to man-to-man marking, though Pakistan tends to blend that with a zonal approach. He said the team has already picked up useful insights from facing Pakistan in the Pro League, and has past experience against Wales from the Commonwealth Games as well. The squad has been closely studying video footage and discussing key strategic points as a group. He was quick to stress that there are no easy games at a World Cup, so India isn’t taking any opponent lightly — instead, the approach is to go match by match, stay focused, and apply the right strategy against Wales, England, and Pakistan without overthinking things.
On keeping the team’s focus intact ahead of the Pakistan match:
Harmanpreet said the mindset heading into the Pakistan game is simple: stay calm and avoid getting overwhelmed by the occasion. He acknowledged that the crowd will be a factor, but said the team wants to use that energy positively rather than let it affect them. The priority, he said, is to stay locked into the game itself and not get distracted by anything outside of it. With the team responsible for those 60 minutes on the field, he emphasised the need to keep emotions in check and focus on playing a clean, disciplined match.
