FIH Pro League | Seniors bring stability and experience, there will be no LA if we don’t do 2026 well: India head coach Craig Fulton

India's hockey coach Craig Fulton emphasizes the importance of senior players for stability ahead of the 2026 World Cup and Olympics.

The Indian men’s hockey team last played Belgium, its Pro League opener opponent, on November 30 in the final of the Azlan Shah Cup, losing 0-1 with an experimental side and most of the main players, including Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh missing.

Only one of the four has failed to find a place in the side for the team’s season-opening event, with Manpreet’s omission being more talked about than anything else. But even as conflicting versions, both official and unofficial, continue to make rounds, coach Craig Fulton has remained silent.

On Monday, he finally spoke about the seniors in the side and their future, giving away nothing but dropping enough hints that no one was permanently out of the game. “There needs to be alignment within the group first. And seniors bring stability and experience. At the same time, our vision and our goal are to do well at the World Cup and qualify for the 2028 Olympics. We have no LA unless we do 2026 well,” Fulcon said.

“We are using our seniors in that respect to try and get through two tournaments. But we also have to manage careers, not just matches. There’s a balance between who plays where and how. We have a core that is based on experience. We have a balance of youth and experience here, but it’s not finalised yet,” he explained.

“It’s not linear. At the same time, we have a plan, and we’re sticking to that plan. If a senior player takes an ACL injury or something, what’s the plan? It’s not like you have them, and then you don’t have them because you don’t want them. It doesn’t work like that.

“It’s not something that is so easily decided on. We have some younger players. We want healthy competition. I think India-A has proved there are players that can compete and deserve the chance and they’re getting their chance. We’ll see how we go from there. If anyone’s in the squad, they’re in the reckoning, 100%,” he declared, adding that the list of 33-probables for the Pro League was open for inclusions closer to major events.