Hockey Asia Cup 2025: Rejuvenated India hopes to seal final spot against China

Five games into the tournament and two away from assuring itself of a World Cup spot, the Indian men’s hockey team has finally begun to look like the free-flowing machine that it was expected to be before the Asia Cup began. On Saturday, it would be looking to continue the momentum against China in its final Super 4s match.

A win would not only help India seal a final spot but prove a few other things to those who have been concerned with its laborious performances so far — that its victory against the same opponent in the opening match was deserved, that it has adjusted to the tough playing conditions well and, most importantly, not depend on other results to continue in the tournament. A draw might suffice, but would not be enough to answer the questions.

India’s comprehensive win against Malaysia in its last outing on Thursday visibly eased the pressure on the players, who finally looked relaxed for perhaps the first time in the competition. Coach Craig Fulton insisted that nothing had changed except that sometimes things worked and sometimes they didn’t. But the changes were evident.

There was more intent and aggression, but also a lot more control. Fulton had asked for more composure and the need to balance the expectations of the crowd with focussing on the structure and the players delivered. They would hope to do it again against China, which has impressed everyone in the tournament and shocked defending champion Korea 3-0.

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India’s midfield has been impressive so far, but its finishing has let it down before finally showing glimpses of its potential. While Abhishek, Sukhjeet, and Dilpreet have had their chances, Shilanand Lakra, returning to national duty after almost two years of injury lay-off, has been impressive.

Surprisingly, experienced Mandeep Singh has not really had much to do, but the few times he did, he proved why he is so highly rated as a poacher. One would expect him to take charge more and lead the strike force instead of simply playing a supporting role.

Hardik and Vivek have been tireless in the middle and Sumit and Manpreet, as attacking midfielders, have been consistently troubling the opposition. The defence has been the weak point more than once, and Krishan Pathak’s form has been less than optimal. Fulton has refused to single anyone out, but having conceded seven of the eight goals for India so far, Pathak would be hoping to shake off any self-doubts.

The one area China has been better than almost everyone, including India, is the penalty corners that, combined with its stubborn, deep, and accurate defence, have helped the team.

However, that singular gameplay can also be its weakness, given that the team has not really tried anything different. Denying the Chinese the space and opportunity inside the circle may help India curb the threat to a large extent.

Malaysia, meanwhile, would be hoping to shrug off the defeat to reach its third Asia Cup final when it plays Korea, which is already out of contention.

Published on Sep 05, 2025