A look at Indian men's hockey team's qualification for Paris Olympics 2024

Indian men’s hockey team is the most successful team ever in the Olympics.

India, bronze medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, have been placed in a challenging Pool B for the men’s hockey event at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. The eight-time gold medal winners will compete against reigning Olympic champion Belgium, Australia, and Rio Games gold medalists Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland.

The Paris Olympics are scheduled from July 26 to August 11, with hockey competitions running from July 27 to August 9. India’s men’s hockey team will kick off their campaign on July 27 against New Zealand.

After a 41-year wait, the Indian men’s hockey team clinched a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 by defeating Germany in the third-place playoff. Now, they aim to upgrade their medal colour.

Hockey India has announced the 16-member Indian men’s hockey team for Paris Olympics 2024. Ace drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh will lead the team, with experienced midfielder Hardik Singh serving as vice-captain.

The squad includes veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and midfielder Manpreet Singh, both participating in their fourth Olympics. Manpreet Singh captained India to bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Also Read: PR Sreejesh to retire from Hockey after Paris 2024 Olympics

Five players—Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay Raj Kumar Pal, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh—are set to make their Olympic debut in Paris.

Goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, midfielder Nilakanta Sharma, and defender Jugraj Singh have been named as alternate players.

How did Indian men’s hockey team qualify for Paris Olympics 2024?

The Indian men’s hockey team secured a stunning 5-1 victory over defending champions Japan at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, claiming the gold medal and confirming their berth at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This victory marked India’s fourth men’s hockey gold at the continental meet, following Bangkok in 1966, 1998, and Incheon in 2014. It also represented the largest margin of victory for the Indian team in an Asiad final.

India began their campaign by overpowering Uzbekistan 16-0 in a one-sided contest. They continued their dominance in Pool A, defeating Singapore 16-1 in the preliminary round. They then beat Japan 4-2 to register a hat-trick of wins.

In the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, India emerged victorious with a commanding 10-2 scoreline, securing their place in the semifinals.

In the semifinals against South Korea, India extended their winning streak with a 5-3 triumph, setting the stage for their appearance in the championship match.

This marked India’s fourth gold medal triumph in men’s field hockey at the Asian Games, having previously claimed the top spot in 1966, 1998, and 2014.

Also Read: Five talking points from India’s men’s hockey team for Paris Olympics

Indian men’s hockey team’s journey to Paris Olympics

Since winning the bronze medal at Tokyo 2020, the Indian men’s hockey team has undergone several changes. Defender Harmanpreet Singh has been appointed as the team captain. He assumed the captaincy ahead of the 2022–23 season of the Pro League.

During the 2022-23 FIH Pro League, India secured victories over Belgium (5-1) and Argentina (2-1). They also managed draws against the Netherlands and England (both 1-1) in the Torneo del Centenario 2023. The Asian Games 2023 and the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy stand out as major titles won by the Indian men’s hockey team since Tokyo.

In the 2023–24 FIH Pro League, India began their campaign with a victory over Spain in Bhubaneshwar. India easily defeated Spain. India then defeated Netherlands and Ireland. However, they suffered a defeat against Australia before moving to the Rourkela leg.

India also competed in a five-match test series against Australia in Perth but failed to secure a single victory.

Indian men’s hockey team in the Olympics

India’s hockey team is the most successful team ever in the Olympics, having won a total of eight gold medals in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, and 1980.  Indian Hockey made their Olympic debut in 1928 in which India won six consecutive games and clinched the first ever gold for the country. 

India has a total of 12 Olympic medals, including eight gold, one silver, and three bronze.

Also Read: Top 10 Indian hockey players with most medals at Olympics

Major highlights of Indian men’s hockey team

• The men in Blues are also one of the most successful teams in Asia. They have won the Asian Games four times – in 1966, 1998, 2014 and 2022. India came out on top at the Asia Cup in 2003, 2007, and in 2017.
• India has won 43 out of 56 matches in the Asia Cup and holds the records for the most wins and best winning percentage in the competition. 
• They are also the most successful team in the Asian Champions Trophy, winning the competition a record four times – in 2011, 2016, 2018, and in 2023. In total, India has won 29 official international titles.
• India also won the World Cup in 1975. India also has the best overall performance in Olympic history, with 83 victories out of the 134 matches played. They have also scored more goals in the Olympics than any other team. They are also the only team ever to win the Olympics without conceding a single goal, having done so in 1928 and 1956.

Indian men’s hockey squad for 2024 Paris Olympics

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

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