Hockey, one of the top sports in the world with an Olympic history and prestigious competitions such as the World Cup, Champions Trophy, and FIH Pro League, has its origins dating back to the sixteenth century.

Hockey is one of the oldest games in the world; a primitive version of the sport was played in Egypt over 4,000 years ago. Its origins date back to Scotland in 1527. The game, known as "hokie" back then, had participants using sticks to smash a little ball around.

However, sometime in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the British invented the first iteration of hockey as we know it today. Back then, it was a well-liked school game that eventually found its way into the Indian army in the 1850s, when it was ruled by the British.

The first hockey club in India was established in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1855. With the ease of access to huge acreage for playing fields and the simple nature of equipment, hockey slowly gained popularity among children and young adults in India.

National tournaments such as the Aga Khan tournament in Bombay (now Mumbai) and the Beighton Cup in Calcutta helped to further popularise the sport in the following few decades, particularly in the former provinces of Punjab and Bombay.

In 1907 and 1908, there were discussions about starting an Indian hockey association, but nothing came of it. It was not until 1925—one year after the International Hockey Federation (FIH)—that the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was established.

In 1926, the Indian hockey men's team went on its first international tour to New Zealand, where they played 21 games and won 18. A teenage Dhyan Chand, who would go on to become possibly the greatest hockey player the world has ever seen, made his debut at the event.

Hockey had a difficult history with the Olympic Games until 1924 (it was only played in 1920 and 1908 and was dropped for the other editions). However, starting in Amsterdam in 1928, hockey was granted permanent Olympic status because of the existence of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Hockey is quite similar to games like casinos. They have a lot in common, including quick skills, unexpected changes, close calls, and strategic thinking. Therefore, it is no wonder that casino game providers have produced many online casino games with a hockey theme, and players can try these games out at casinos such as Casino Days.

The Indian hockey squad would compete in its first Olympics in 1928 thanks to the Indian Hockey Federation's 1927 application and successful FIH membership. With eight gold medals, it marked the start of a legacy that still stands as a record today. In what was a stagnated period for a while in the Olympics, Indian hockey is ready to bounce back and the men’s team even won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics. With the Paris Olympics approaching people would be smart to put their money on the Indian contingent returning home with a medal.

Dominating the Olympics

In 1928, the Indian hockey team won the gold medal in the Olympics on their debut. Dhyan Chand scored 14 of the 29 goals India scored in its five games, with nil goals conceded.

The Indian hockey team won two additional gold medals in 1932 and 1936 to complete a hat-trick of Olympic hockey golds, and the hockey wizard became the team's cornerstone. In 1936, Dhyan Chand was appointed captain for what would turn out to be his last Olympic competition.

India discovered a new mastermind in the renowned Balbir Singh Sr., who led them to a second hat-trick of Olympic gold medals in 1948, 1952, and 1956—this time as an independent nation—when the Olympics returned following World War II in 1948. It was one of the most important times in Indian hockey history.

#DidYouKnow Naval Tata was the President of the Indian Hockey Federation for 15 years and was at the helm when the Indian hockey team won the Olympic Gold in 1948, 1952 and 1956. pic.twitter.com/VhXh0jEexi

— Tata Group (@TataCompanies) March 28, 2018

India would take the top spot in Tokyo 1964, whereas Pakistan stopped India's gold run in the final of the 1960 Rome Olympics. But it was clear that India's hegemony over the sport was waning.

Before taking home the gold in the 1966 Asian Games, the Indian hockey team was placed second in the 1958 and 1962 competitions. But in 1968, India's lowest-ever Olympic result came in Mexico, where they only managed a bronze.

Read Also: From Abhinav Brinda to PV Sindhu: Every First for India at Olympics

The 1970s: Women’s team goes international

The first Hockey World Cup was hosted in Spain in 1971, and it helped hockey gain popularity outside of the Olympics. Even though India placed third and Pakistan defeated Spain to win the championship, the sport was rapidly gaining popularity in Europe and advancements were being made.

India secured another bronze medal at the Munich Olympics in 1972. In 1973, they advanced to the World Cup final but were defeated by the Netherlands.

India's participation in international hockey was primarily limited to men, but in 1974, the women's team participated in their first women's Hockey World Cup and was placed a respectable fourth.

When the men's team won its lone World Cup championship in 1975, there appeared to be a turning point.

However, the men's Indian hockey team was placed seventh in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, which saw the first use of artificial grass fields tailored specifically for the sport.

For the first time since the women's team managed a similar result at the 1978 World Cup, it put an end to India's Olympic podium streak.

The men's team also won three straight silver medals at the Asian Games in 1970, 1974, and 1978 during this decade.

1980s-2008: A period of stagnation

The Indian hockey teams had a great start to the 1980s. In the inaugural women's hockey Olympic competition, the women's team was placed fourth, while the men's team capitalised on a reduced field to capture their eighth gold medal in Moscow 1980.

The women's Indian hockey team won a historic gold medal at home while the men's team took home silver in the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, where women's hockey was played for the first time.

Still, following this time there were no further awards to come.

Since Indian hockey teams were hesitant to adopt artificial turf, with most local players still playing on natural grass fields, they were unsuccessful in international competitions.

The only medals won by the men and women at the 1986 Asian Games were a bronze apiece. They were unable to advance to the semi-finals of either the World Cup or the Champions Trophy, which was only open to men.

With Dhanraj Pillay's 1989 debut for the Indian hockey team, the sport saw a resurgence, and India could once again boast of being a global superstar.

However, in the absence of sufficient backing, Pillay was unable to ignite a wave of triumph for the Indian hockey team, even if his outstanding individual performance in 1998 nearly put an end to India's gold-medal drought at the Asian Games.

During this time, women's struggles persisted throughout the world even though they took home a silver medal at the 1998 Asian Games.

Another venue for international hockey was created when the sport was introduced at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In the first edition, the Indian women's and men's teams came in fourth.

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, although the men were unable to qualify, the Indian women's hockey team went on to win gold. At the 2006 Asian Games, the men could only finish sixth, and the ladies went on to win silver in the 2006 edition.

When the Indian hockey men's team missed out on qualifying for the Olympics in Beijing in 2008—their first Olympics since 1928—it was the lowest point in the sport's history.

Read Also: Indian Hockey team's schedule for Olympics 2024

Revival of Indian hockey

The men's Indian hockey team bounced back from the 2008 setback by winning bronze at the Asian Games and returning to the podium in the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

The Indian hockey men's squad earned a spot in the 2012 London Olympics. Even though India finished last, it did make some gains. Although the men qualified for Rio 2016, the women's qualification—their first for an Olympic Games in 36 years—grabbed the headlines this time.

Indian hockey appears to have regained momentum in the years that have passed. The women's team, captained by Rani Rampal, placed ninth in the world their finest year, winning silver at the 2018 Asian Games. Under the direction of teenage captain Manpreet Singh and new head coach Graham Reid, the men's Indian hockey team has adopted an offensive mentality.

In 2020, the men's squad participated in its inaugural FIH Pro League campaign, emerging victorious against top-tier teams worldwide, including Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands. The men's hockey team's 41-year Olympic medal drought was broken in Tokyo 2020 when they defeated Germany in a thrilling playoff game to take home a bronze medal.

In just its third Olympic competition, the women's team showed incredible perseverance to secure fourth place and just missed out on the bronze medal to Great Britain. One of India's most well-known triumphs was also accomplished by the ladies when they eliminated favourites Australia in the quarterfinals.

Fast-forward to Birmingham, England in 2022, where India won the silver and bronze medals in the men's and women's competitions, respectively. The Indian men's hockey team earned the gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, while the women's team took home the bronze.

With strong competitors on the international scene for both the men's and women's teams, Indian hockey has the opportunity to recapture its former glory.

Conclusion

Looking back, the history of hockey from its primordial beginnings to its modern international arena represents a timeless tale of resiliency, change, and success. Hockey's growth, from the primitive "hokie" played in Scotland in the sixteenth century to the organised and intensely competitive sport it is today, is a reflection of the centuries-long transformation of nations and communities. India, a country with a long history in hockey, is proof of the sport's enormous influence, having experienced both prolonged periods of hardship and comeback.

The journey of the Indian women's and men's hockey teams through the ups and downs of international play represents the spirit of perseverance and unflinching determination that are fundamental to hockey. Indian hockey continues to write a glorious history and inspire future generations, as seen by its recent victories in Tokyo and Birmingham in addition to its historic triumphs in Amsterdam. The future of Indian hockey is bright and full of potential, with strong competitors on the international scene. It is well-positioned to recapture its past glory and create new athletic records.

The two-month span from March onwards is a festival beyond the yearly almanac. The Indian Premier League blocks all the mundane schedules for seasonal cricket fans. The grandeur it has and the craze and hype it injects into the audience are unmatched. The cash-rich league managed to get a brother in 2013, in Indian Hockey—The Hockey Indian League (HIL). Their motto was the same: popularizing the sport in the country.

The long-run execution fell short of finance and ceased in 2017. After seven long years, HIL is set to make a comeback. On Friday, October 4, Hockey India will inaugurate their HIL 2.0, having Women's Hockey their first HIL!

Hockey India League 2.0

It is a resurgence, rather than a revamp of the previous edition of the Hockey Premier League, with better planning and steady finance.

The IPL started after the 2007 T-20 World Cup win. This version of HIL is nothing but a by-product of two back-to-back Olympic bronzes and a gold in the Asian Games.  HI has announced that the HIL will start with initially 8 teams in the men's and 6 in the women's edition.

A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board.

For the men's event, franchises that came forward are:

• Chennai- Charles Group, 
• Lucknow- Yadu Sports, 
• Punjab- JSW Sports, 
• West Bengal- Shrachi Sports, 
• Delhi- SG Sports and Entertainment (team name: Delhi SG Pipers)
• Odisha- Vedanta Limited (team name: Kalinga Lancers)
• Hyderabad- Resolute Sports (team name: Hyderabad Toofans)
• Ranchi- Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited.

The women team owners are:

• Haryana-JSW Sports (team name: Delhi SG Pipers)
• West Bengal- Shrachi Sports,
• Delhi- SG Sports and Entertainment and 
• Odisha-  Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited.

Each franchise will build a 24-player (men and women each) squad. Each team will have a mix of 16 Indian players, a mandatory inclusion of four junior players, and a maximum of eight international players.

To make the pre-tournament phases more scintillating, the auction procedure has been added to it. Three categories have been induced according to the ranks of each player: Rs 2 lakh (for juniors), Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh.

The auction will take place between Oct 13 and 15.

However, the tournament will be restricted to venues only. Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha. Ranchi will host all the women's matches while the men's matches will take place in Rourkela.

The main reason behind limiting it to two stadiums is finance and the craze. 

Finance

According to the Times of India, a huge sum of Rs 3,640 crore will be invested for Hockey Indian League purposes for the coming 10 years. HI  will chip in some 112 crore each year, mainly on HL's title sponsor and media rights.

A few sources informed that HI has promised to contribute a total of Rs. 1,120 crore for the coming ten years for the swift perpetration of the revamp.

The franchises will lay out around Rs 18 crores on each of the total 14 teams (men and women), each year, which translates into Rs 252 crore for 14 teams.

Thus, for 10 years, franchises will be shelling out Rs 2,520 crore largely on players and coaching support staff’s salaries. The expenditure also includes grants for grassroot development of the sport through their hockey academies.

Thus, considering HI’s contribution of Rs 1,120 crore and franchises’ spending of Rs 2,520 crore, HIL will boast of a total investment purse of Rs 3,640 crore.

Earlier, HO: wasn't limited to just two venues. But HI president Dilip Tirkey clarified that it has been done to reduce the travel and reservation cost of home and away matches. Additionally, the venues have been chosen keeping in mind the popularity of hockey in that place.

The inaugural women's event

From 2013 to 2017, the women's version of the Hockey Premier League wasn't available. For the first time, female hockey players in India will have a dedicated platform to showcase their skills on a large scale. 

The women's team has been an absolute spectacle in the Tokyo Olympics. Savita Punia was no short in fame when compared to PR Sreejesh in terms of skill. The windy Vandana Kataria, hopefully, won't be a name to those fans, but in all households.

It's not about promoting gender equality in a sport when a section of it is yet to rise its head in India. It's more about breaking taboos about women wearing skirts, like what Rani Rampal faced in her childhood. It is more about providing a well-structured hockey stick to the budding players instead of a mere bamboo stick!

Drawbacks that got corrected

The 2013–2017 version of the Hockey Indian League had its financial drawbacks. But other than that, it had clashes of schedule,

A league that could have been as big as a festival, to the fans, couldn't manage to get an uninterrupted vacant place in the FIH calendar. The Hockey Pro League came into being, which ate up whatever space was remaining.

However, this year, President Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh have assured that such disruptions won't happen from now on. Both have revealed that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has granted the window from December 28 to February 5 for the next 10 years.

HIL winners till 2017

2013- Ranchi Rhinos

2014- Delhi Waveriders

2015- Ranchi Rays

2016- Punjab Warriors

2017: Kalinga Lancers

Game recognizes Game

Athletes investing in franchises is not new. So does hockey. Mahesh Bhupathi, the Indian tennis legend, has invested in the Delhi SG Pipers franchise

Adding further excitement, former Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who was freshly appointed as the coach for the junior hockey team, is now the mentor for the Delhi franchise. 

Hockey Indian League: Opening new doors to talent

Say, for example, the Indian Premier League! It is a cash-rich league because of the unwavering fan support, definitely due to the monetization of the league. 

But it has more efficacy due to its role in nurturing young talents. HIL is nothing short of that. The international players will not be just teammates but leaders and seniors whom the rookies will look up to.

This will increase the pace of the game, adding more skills and perfection to the drags and flicks. 

An Indian fan probably won't be expecting some foul on the body to get a penalty corner so that some Amit Rohidas or Harmanpreet Singh convert it into a goal. A basic wish to see a ball in play before hitting the net, just as Australians do, will be fulfilled hopefully.

The kids that grew grey once considered Pakistan as the powerhouse of hockey. The history encrypted, however, contradicts the present scenario. The hard-earned bronze medal in the Asian Hockey Championship can somehow act as a consolation for the Pakistan Men’s Hockey team. But, the “reward” from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) raised eyebrows- just USD 100 to each player! The amount calculates around RS 8300, and just 28,000 in Pakistan’s currency!

Pakistan and its financial struggles are nothing too new. But the once glorified sport receiving such a reward has raised various questions, including PHF’s (Pakistan Hockey Federation) approach towards the future.

Pakistan Hockey Team- A “Golden Era” Overshadowed by Present Struggles

Once tagged as the “King of Grass”, the country has three Olympic golds and four World Cup titles in its bag. The team once dominated the sport in the Asian circumference, alongside India. Pakistan Hockey team has produced legends like goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed, who captained Pakistan to a World Cup victory in 1994. It had Brigadier Abdul Hamid, who scored Pakistan's first-ever Olympic goal in 1948, immortalized in the country’s sports history.

However, the tables trembled in the 1980s. Artificial watered turfs started replacing the grass courts. The “King of Grass” struggled to adapt to the newly given conditions and the dynamics of the game. Currently, a struggling Pakistan Hockey Team has hit rock bottom. 

They touched the 30th block in the FIH standing- their lowest-ever rank. However, the ACT Bronze medal has pushed them five blocks upward- to the 15th rank. The road to regaining the past glory seems steep, but is it impossible? Question prevails!

Financial Woes and Federation Mismanagement

At the heart of Pakistan's hockey decline is financial instability. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has faced multiple allegations that includes mismanagement and the misuse of government funds. Moreover, complaints from different corners do come, regarding involvement of senior “legends” of Pakistan Hockey Team. Them, as complained, often resisted to the idea of employing foreign coaches. However, when seniors got the responsibility, they failed miserably too, as coaches.

Speaking of foreign coaches, they need a longer spell to get adapted to the situations. They need ample time to get under the nerves and train the player- to detect the pros and cons and work on them. But the financial condition of PHF has prevented the longevity of such coaching tenures.

Situations turned this worse that board started hiring event- based coaches. Notably, former coach Roelant Oltmans, who accompanied the Pakistan Hockey team to Poland for the Nation’s Cup, had to leave midway through his tenure due to unpaid fees.

Read Also | What is the history of hockey in India? 

PSB ignorance being the main cause, PHF complains

Criticisms came on the way, with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) being apathetic to the Pakistan Hockey Federation. The Imran Khan tenure has seen PSB providing the lowest grants. A lot of government federations depends solely on PSB grants for their curriculum. PSB, however, published a report where it said that an amount of 1000 million rupees has been allotted for different federations including PHF.

The 2019/2020 Fiscal year, PSB distributed only 25 million rupees. Its aim was to set up training camps and to support participation in international and national events. The 2020/21 fiscal year had its amount increased to 42 million rupees. The PSB has notably raised its funding over the past two fiscal years. That includes 2023/24, allocating a total expenditure of around 920 million rupees to federations.

PSB, over the past five years, has given PHF only 103 million rupees in grants. On the contrary, the athletics federation received over 100 million rupees, for the sake of Arshad Nadeem's Olympic preparations. The disparity is glaring, especially considering hockey's status as Pakistan's national sport.

A New Coach, Old Problems

Pakistan’s other major problem is exposure. The financial drawbacks have limited the international tours for the team. The last time Pakistan Men’s Hockey Team had a tour, was for the Nations Cup at Netherlands and Poland. It was a qualification for the pro league. Pakistan there finished fourth, behind New Zealand, France, South Africa.

With Oltman’s departure, Tahir Zaman, stepped in as head coach just before the Asian Champions Trophy. He, with over 20 years of coaching experience, has acknowledged the deep-rooted challenges, is cautiously optimistic.

He aims to push for a Pakistan Hockey League to nurture young talent and provide players with much-needed exposure. But even Zaman admits that reviving Pakistan hockey will be a long process.

The Asian Championship Trophy bronze somehow looks like a slight consolation to the overall struggling team. Even though it offered a glimmer of hope, the announcement of a meagre USD 100 reward for each player has sparked widespread outrage. Placing it by the side of Hockey India awarded ₹3 lakh (around USD 3,600) to each of its players, Pakistan Hockey team looks awfully dull. and this absolutely not a welcoming sign for any hockey enthusiast around the world.

Read Also | Asian Champions Trophy 2024: India bags their 5th title after defeating China 1-0 

Financial Hardships and Desertion

The financial challenges facing Pakistan's hockey players are not only demoralizing but are also driving them to desperate measures. Earlier this year, In August, three players—Murtaza Yakoob, Ihtesham Aslam, and Abdur Rahman—along with physiotherapist Waqas, escaped from a training camp in Poland during the Nations Cup.

It was the pre-Asian Champions trophy training cup, when they were summoned, they informed of them not being available due to personal issues. However, later it became clear that they fled away seeking asylum in Europe. PHF subsequently banned them for life.

PHF secretary general Rana Mujahid feared that this escape may create complications in getting visa for any tour in Europe. With the present complications in the financial conditions, this move wasn't apt for the team, according to Rana.

However, many doubts this move by the players and the physio was a result of delays in PHF doing delays in travel and other allowances.

When Mujahid blames the players, the critiques blamed the financial coundidion of the boards for the athletes to choose this desperation.

The Future Calls: Will Hockey Survive?

The present day situation of the Pakistan Hockey team has divided the fans in two groups. One believes the team has been burried. However, the other one is optimistic, byt to a certain level, believing this phase to be the "ventilator" ohase.

The only head to believe Pakistan Hockey team as the Phoenix shortly is its present coach, Tahir Zaman, the 55-year-old with almost 20 years of experience, who still believes his boys can regain the glory. He has his plan already set in his mind, where nourishing the domestic hockey comes first.

Asian Champions Trophy is not a so called important trophy in the Hockey arena. But a bronze medal in this struggling situation, should be enough to draw attention for the betterement. But again, the idiocy PSB showed, by giving the miminimal value to the medal, questions the future of the Hockey.

Is it actually having a bright future, with the "new generation?" Will the Pakistani kids choose emotion and past glories over wages while opting for national hockey? The answer is unknown for an eternity!

The Paris Olympics 2024 started on 26th July with a grand opening ceremony. This time the Olympics is being organized in Paris, the capital of France. For which complete preparations have been made. This time a total of 10,500 athletes are participating in the Olympics 2024. The eyes of these athletes will be on winning medals for their respective countries. It's time we look at India's Paris Olympics 2024 Day 11 (August 6) schedule.

Also Read: India At Paris Olympics 2024: When will Neeraj Chopra's event start?

From India, 117 athletes have participated in the Olympics. Among these athletes, 72 players are part of the Olympic Games for the first time. The eyes of the entire country are fixed on these athletes. 

On the Paris Olympics 2024 Day 11, all eyes will be on Neeraj Chopra in the men's javelin throw qualification round. Indian Men's Hockey team will also play their semifinal match against Germany on Day 11. Apart from this, India will be seen in action in sports like table tennis, golf, athletics, and hockey events on Day 11. So, let us tell you in detail which sports Indian athletes will be seen in action on Day 11.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Medal winners by dates

Paris Olympics 2024 Day 11 (6th August) Schedule

Table Tennis

• Men's Team Round of 16 - India vs China - 1:30 PM

Athletics

• Men's Javelin Throw Qualification Group A - Kishore Jena - 1:50 PM
• Men's Javelin Throw Qualification Group B -  Neeraj Chopra - 3:20 PM
• Women's 400m Repechage Round - Kiran Pahal - 2:50 PM

Hockey

• Men's Semi-final - India vs Germany - 10:30 PM

Golf

• Women's Individual Stroke Play Round 1 - Aditi Ashok & Diksha Dagar - 12:30 PM

Wrestling

• Women's 50kg Round of 16 - Vinesh Phogat vs Yui Susaki (Japan) - 2:44 pm
• Women's 50kg Quarterfinals - (Based on Qualification)
• Women's 50kg Semi-Final - (Based on Qualification) 9:45 PM

The Paris Olympics 2024 started on 26th July with a grand opening ceremony. This time the Olympics is being organized in Paris, the capital of France. For which complete preparations have been made. This time a total of 10,500 athletes are participating in the Olympics 2024. The eyes of these athletes will be on winning medals for their respective countries. It's time we look at India's Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6 (August 1) schedule.

From India, 117 athletes have participated in the Olympics. Among these athletes, 72 players are part of the Olympic Games for the first time. The eyes of the entire country are fixed on these athletes. 

On the Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6, all eyes will be on the Indian Men's Hockey Team who will play against Belgium and Nikhat Zareen in the women's 50kg boxing event. Apart from this, India will be seen in action in sports like shooting, golf, and archery events on Day 5. So, let us tell you in detail which sports Indian athletes will be seen in action on Day 6.

Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6 (1st August) Schedule

Boxing

• Men's 71kg Preliminaries Round of 16 - Nishant Dev vs Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Tenorio (Ecuador) - 12:34 AM
• Women's 50kg Preliminaries Round of 16 - Nikhat Zareen vs Wu Yu (China) - 2:30 PM

Golf

• Men's Individual Stroke Play Round 1 - Gaganjeet Bhullar & Shubhankar Sharma - 12:30 PM

Archery

• Men's Individual 1/32 Elimination Round - Pravin Jadhav vs Kao Wenchao (China) - 2:31 PM

Shooting

• 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final (Gold) - Swapnil Kusale - 1:00 PM
• 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women's Qualification - Sift Kaur Samra & Anjum Moudgil - 3:30 PM

Hockey

• Men's Pool B - India vs Belgium - 1:30 PM

Indian Men's Hockey Team is all set to compete at the Paris Olympics 2024  as they look to add another piece of history to the already illustrious track record of the Men in Blue in the world's biggest sporting extravaganza.

Sreejesh will retire after Paris 2024

The Indian squad has a blend of youth and experience this time around, and will be featuring 5 debutants. In terms of seniors, PR Sreejesh and Manpreet Singh will be featuring in their 4th Olympics, but it will be the swansong tournament for legendary goalkeeper Sreejesh, as he will be hanging his sticks and boots after the conclusion of the Games.

Also Read: PR Sreejesh announces retirement, Paris Olympics 2024 will be his last tournament

India will face New Zealand in their first match

The Indian hockey men's team had secured its place for the Paris Olympics 2024 by winning the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games. The Harmanpreet Singh-led side is pinned alongside New Zealand, Argentina, Ireland, Belgium, and Australia in Pool B, as only four teams will realize their dream of progressing into the quarter-final stage.

As per the schedule released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), India will face New Zealand in their first match on July 27. This match will be played from 9:00 pm Indian time.

Indian ended medal drought in Tokyo

India's wait for an Olympic medal in hockey finally ended in the Tokyo Olympics. The Indian men's team had defeated Germany 5-4 to win the bronze medal in Tokyo. They last won an Olympic medal in hockey in 1980 (gold).

The Indian team had earlier confirmed its semi-final place in the Olympics by defeating Great Britain after 49 years.

Also Read: India at Olympics: Every member of the medal-winning hockey teams

Paris Olympics 2024: Hockey Groups

Pool A

• Netherlands
• Germany
• Great Britain
• Spain
• France
• South Africa

Pool B

• Belgium
• India
• Australia
• Argentina
• New Zealand
• Ireland

Paris Olympics 2024: Indian Hockey Squad

• Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh
• Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay
• Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad
• Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh
• Alternate players: Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak

Paris Olympics 2024: Indian Hockey Schedule