Asia Cup Hockey 2025: India wants to assert dominance and emerge as Asia No. 1, says Craig Fulton
Ahead of his side’s first match at the Asian Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, against China on Friday, the Indian men’s hockey team coach Craig Fulton is confident that his men can win the “flagship tournament of the year” and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
India last won the continental event in 2017 after beating Malaysia 2-1. However, it finished third in 2022, behind champion South Korea and runner-up Malaysia. The South African coach emphasised the team’s ongoing goal to be the top contender in Asia.
“We want to win the tournament, we intend to be the No.1 team in Asia always, and we are pushing hard to keep our standards up there in this tournament,” Fulton said during the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
The South African coach highlighted the importance of the title beyond regional bragging rights. “We must qualify [for the World Cup] from here. I mean, if you qualify from here, you already have a year of the program set. So, if you don’t qualify from here, I’m not sure when it will be, probably March or around that time. That would seem to complicate things, especially with a hectic schedule in January,” he explained.
To prepare for the tournament, the team had a rigorous six-week camp at Sports Authority of India centre in Bengaluru before a two-week tour of Western Australia. The coach believes that playing against a “running team” like the Kookaburras was an excellent way to prepare for the fast-paced style of Asian teams.
“We have to play seven games [if India reaches the final] in ten days; it will be difficult, but we are prepared for it,” Fulton said. “In terms of preparations, we are ready for the challenge.”
The coach added that he prefers the tournament format of the Asian Cup and Asian Champions Trophy over a typical test series. He sees these tournaments as a valuable way to prepare the team for upcoming major events like the World Cup and Asian Games over the next 16-18 months.
“I really like these tournaments.. It allows us to use 18 players rather than 24 players, which sometimes makes things a bit difficult,” he said.
The 50-year-old also highlighted the role of mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, who was part of the support staff for India’s bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics.
“I think his role is pretty specific to connect with the individual players. I mean, we had a really good buildup to Paris with his inputs. We are using all the resources at our disposal to help us qualify. And he’s responsible for the mental approach and the mindset of the team,” Fulton concluded.
Published on Aug 28, 2025