We Believe We Can Do This: Men's Hocky Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh

The Indian men’s hockey team begin their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign against Wales today and will be keen to make a winning start as they look to end a 51-year wait for the coveted trophy. Speaking on JioStar, Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh weighed in on the team’s ultimate goal of going all out for the trophy, why defence will be key and the importance of keeping the focus on the game rather than external factors ahead of the Pakistan fixture.

Speaking to JioStar, India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh mentioned that the team is determined to end the country’s 51-year wait for the FIH Hockey World Cup trophy:

“The World Cup means a lot to all of us because after this World Cup, you never know what might happen. There are several senior players in the team as well, so for us, this is a great opportunity. With all the hard work we’ve put in and how we have trained, we believe that we can definitely do this. And that’s our only aim, to give our best and win a medal. Of course, winning back-to-back medals in Tokyo and Paris has definitely been a very motivating factor for us. We are here as underdogs. We believe this is the right situation for us to show everyone what India can do and what capability India has. The hope is to bring the trophy home. It’s easy to say, and the journey will be tough and rough, but we are ready. The team trusts one another and our mindset is positive. Who scores or who defends doesn’t matter, as long as we win as a team. We will go all out.”

 On why defence will be key for India: 

“Our first priority will be defence. If we defend well throughout the tournament, we will be close to achieving what we have come here for. We have practised really well in that area. Whatever our structure is, full press, half court, low press, I think in all those areas, we’ve sat down for individual meetings and team discussions with all the players. Because when you defend well, situations will arise to consistently enter the opponent’s D. So, how to convert those 50-50 chances, how to do the receiving well under pressure, how to smartly produce an outcome in the D, whether it’s a shot on goal or earning a penalty corner, those things will be critical.” 

On senior players like Manpreet Singh:

“Manpreet paaji has been our senior. We’ve been together since the juniors. From then until now, that bond, trust and understanding have been very strong. We’ve been playing together for so many years, and I just want to say thanks to him for showing the trust and faith in me. Even when we go home, during training sessions, we are mostly together, me, Manpreet, Mandeep, Dilpreet. When in camp, we naturally stay together. On the field, the understanding between defenders and midfielders is excellent. We know how to pass in certain situations, how that eye contact works. We stay close in defence too, so there is no communication gap. For Manpreet and Mandeep, this is their fourth World Cup; for me, it’s the third. When a senior player puts their hand up in a crunch situation, it instils confidence in the team. I’m glad that in every position we have senior players who can balance the team, Mandeep in the forward line, Manpreet in midfield, and us in defence.”

On India’s opponents in Pool D: "Playing styles are mostly man-to-man for probably all the teams. Pakistan mostly mixes it up with zone and man-to-man. We played against them in the Pro League and identified elements where we can improve. We played Wales in the Commonwealth Games. We are analysing video footage and discussing key points with everyone. There are no easy opponents in the World Cup, so we can't take anyone lightly. We are taking it step-by-step and not overthinking. Wales, England, Pakistan, the target is to give our best in every match and apply our strategies appropriately.” 

On keeping the team focused on the game against Pakistan:

“The plan is simple: keep the mind calm. Don't overthink or get over-excited. The crowd also plays alongside you, so take that in your stride and use it positively. The main priority is simple, to stay focused on the game and not get distracted by other factors. The rhythm shouldn't break and the plans shouldn't change. We all have a responsibility for those 60 minutes, so it will be important to keep emotions under control and play a clean match.” 

The Indian men’s hockey team begin their FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign against Wales today and will be keen to make a winning start as they look to end a 51-year wait for the coveted trophy. Speaking on JioStar, Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh weighed in on the team’s ultimate goal of going all out for the trophy, why defence will be key and the importance of keeping the focus on the game rather than external factors ahead of the Pakistan fixture.

Speaking to JioStar, India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh mentioned that the team is determined to end the country’s 51-year wait for the FIH Hockey World Cup trophy:

“The World Cup means a lot to all of us because after this World Cup, you never know what might happen. There are several senior players in the team as well, so for us, this is a great opportunity. With all the hard work we’ve put in and how we have trained, we believe that we can definitely do this. And that’s our only aim, to give our best and win a medal. Of course, winning back-to-back medals in Tokyo and Paris has definitely been a very motivating factor for us. We are here as underdogs. We believe this is the right situation for us to show everyone what India can do and what capability India has. The hope is to bring the trophy home. It’s easy to say, and the journey will be tough and rough, but we are ready. The team trusts one another and our mindset is positive. Who scores or who defends doesn’t matter, as long as we win as a team. We will go all out.”

 On why defence will be key for India:

“Our first priority will be defence. If we defend well throughout the tournament, we will be close to achieving what we have come here for. We have practised really well in that area. Whatever our structure is, full press, half court, low press, I think in all those areas, we’ve sat down for individual meetings and team discussions with all the players. Because when you defend well, situations will arise to consistently enter the opponent’s D. So, how to convert those 50-50 chances, how to do the receiving well under pressure, how to smartly produce an outcome in the D, whether it’s a shot on goal or earning a penalty corner, those things will be critical.”

 On senior players like Manpreet Singh:

“Manpreet paaji has been our senior. We’ve been together since the juniors. From then until now, that bond, trust and understanding have been very strong. We’ve been playing together for so many years, and I just want to say thanks to him for showing the trust and faith in me. Even when we go home, during training sessions, we are mostly together, me, Manpreet, Mandeep, Dilpreet. When in camp, we naturally stay together. On the field, the understanding between defenders and midfielders is excellent. We know how to pass in certain situations, how that eye contact works. We stay close in defence too, so there is no communication gap. For Manpreet and Mandeep, this is their fourth World Cup; for me, it’s the third. When a senior player puts their hand up in a crunch situation, it instils confidence in the team. I’m glad that in every position we have senior players who can balance the team, Mandeep in the forward line, Manpreet in midfield, and us in defence.” 

On India’s opponents in Pool D:

"Playing styles are mostly man-to-man for probably all the teams. Pakistan mostly mixes it up with zone and man-to-man. We played against them in the Pro League and identified elements where we can improve. We played Wales in the Commonwealth Games. We are analysing video footage and discussing key points with everyone. There are no easy opponents in the World Cup, so we can't take anyone lightly. We are taking it step-by-step and not overthinking. Wales, England, Pakistan, the target is to give our best in every match and apply our strategies appropriately.” 

On keeping the team focused on the game against Pakistan:

“The plan is simple: keep the mind calm. Don't overthink or get over-excited. The crowd also plays alongside you, so take that in your stride and use it positively. The main priority is simple, to stay focused on the game and not get distracted by other factors. The rhythm shouldn't break and the plans shouldn't change. We all have a responsibility for those 60 minutes, so it will be important to keep emotions under control and play a clean match.”