India men’s hockey head coach Craig Fulton believes his team can beat any team in the world if they stick to their plan and said the performance in the final leg of the International Hockey League has given the team confidence ahead of and beyond the World Cup. Asian Games.India are in eighth place with 19 points from 16 matches, just above Pakistan, who have not scored a single point.Despite a poor overall performance, India ended the tournament by defeating reigning world champions Germany and Olympic champions Netherlands. They also defeated world number three England in a tight match at the European leg.Fulton said when reviewing this game that the team has shown its ability to compete with the best teams in the world.“One of the biggest takeaways from this Pro League campaign is seeing the team’s confidence grow. Beating Germany and the Netherlands, coupled with a strong performance against England, proved that when we stick to our game plan, we have the ability to match and beat anyone in the world,” Fulton said.“This is a solid stepping stone into the World Cup and Asian Games, but we remain focused on strengthening our performance and maintaining consistency each quarter.”The coach also praised the team’s improvement in handling pressure during games.“What’s even more encouraging is that this team has matured a lot. We stayed calm under pressure, adapted to different playing styles, and won in tight games. This experience is exactly what we need.”“The World Cup and Asian Games are going to test our resilience and our belief, and I think we’re laying the right foundation for that,” Fulton said at a Hockey India press conference.India got off to a bad start at home in Rourkela, losing to Belgium and Argentina.There were signs of improvement during the Hobart race. The Indian team lost to Spain 0-2 at the beginning, and then drew 2-2 with host Australia and Spain 1-1. They lost both games on penalties but ended the round with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over Australia after another 1-1 draw.Hobart’s game also showed defensive improvement. India have conceded just six goals in four games, three from penalty corners and three from live play. They also scored two field goals and took two penalty corners.The team’s progress became even more evident in Europe.In Rotterdam, India defeated Germany 3-1 and Netherlands 3-2. Against two of the best defensive teams in world hockey, India scored nine goals in four games, including five field goals and four goals from corners.The momentum continued in London, where India remained unbeaten in four games against Pakistan and England in regular time.team leader Harmanpreet SinghReturning after missing the Hobart game, he said the win had boosted the team’s confidence.“Beating a top-ranked team is always special, but more importantly it shows that the hard work we have put in as a team is paying off. We will take these positives forward as we prepare for the World Cup and Asian Games,” he said.Harmanpreet also highlighted the overall contribution of the team across departments.“One of the biggest positives about professional leagues is the contribution of each department.“Our defense stayed compact, the midfield controlled the game well, and our forwards created good chances in the circle and scored a lot of shots. Covering all bases gave us confidence, but we also know there are areas we can continue to improve ahead of the World Cup and Asian Games.”
