India finish eighth, their worst World Cup result
A shootout loss to Belgium in the seventh-place match. Harmanpreet Singh finishes joint top scorer with eight goals, and none of it changes the number.
J. R. Patel ·
Hockey news, analysis and explainers
The World Cup, the penalty corner and Indian hockey — how teams qualify, how a pool stage is actually decided, and how to judge a campaign.
India complete the Junior Asia Cup double, and the pipeline delivered again
The men beat South Korea 4-1 for a sixth title. The women beat China 1-0 on their home turf for a third straight. Both teams head to the World Cup.
J. R. Patel ·
India’s junior teams arrive in China to defend both crowns
New coaches, new captains, same expectation: the men seek a record sixth Junior Asia Cup, the women a third straight.
J. R. Patel ·
Fifth in Amstelveen, and the first top-five in 52 years
India beat Germany 3-1 to finish fifth at the World Cup, and Hockey India put ₹50 lakh behind it. The number that decided the tournament was one goal.
J. R. Patel ·
The Hockey World Cup points system and format, explained
Three points for a win, one for a draw, and a tiebreaker order that decides more pools than the results do.
J. R. Patel ·
How teams qualify for the Hockey World Cup
Continental championships do most of the work, and that is a deliberate design choice with real consequences for India.
J. R. Patel ·
India at the Hockey World Cup: the whole history
One title, four turns as hosts, and a fifty-year wait that shapes how every campaign is received.
J. R. Patel ·
The penalty corner, explained
A large share of goals at elite level come from one set piece. Here is exactly how it works and why it is so hard to defend.
J. R. Patel ·
How the drag-flick rewrote hockey
One technique turned the penalty corner from a scramble into the most reliable scoring chance in the sport, and changed what a squad looks like.
J. R. Patel ·