Men's and women's hockey teams eye Tokyo berth despite tough road in Jakarta

Sundeep Misra


If they retain the gold, it would be for the first time in Indian hockey history that an Indian men’s team will pick up back-to-back titles at the Asian Games. Image Courtesy: Twitter @TheHockeyIndia

It’s those four steps to being a rockstar. And it all begins in Jakarta in another 24 hours. The rest have all been gigs in between. India, ranked 5th in the FIH power structure begin their Asian Games campaign, as reigning continental champions in the men’s game. If they retain the gold, it would be for the first time in country's hockey history that an Indian men’s team will pick up back-to-back titles at the Asian Games. That momentum, confidence is what coach Harendra Singh is backing on to give India its first World Cup title since 1975 when the Worlds arrive in India at the end of the year. “Still some time but the Asian Games title puts us on the path to being once again the sport’s rockstar; from 5th to a possible World Cup Final,” says Harendra.