‘We can beat anyone on our day,' India coach Craig Fulton

India players celebrate a goal during their FIH Pro League victory over Pakistan recently. Pic/Hockey India’s Instagram

India men's hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton is determined to break the 51-year-old trophy drought at the upcoming World Cup (August 15-30) in the Netherlands and Belgium, claiming that the Harmanpreet Singh-led side is aiming to ‘write its own piece of history' in the global showpiece tournament. India, who has won eight Olympic gold medals, last won the World Cup at Kuala Lumpur in 1975 - it is their only title.

"1975 was the last time India won it and what's important is to get consistency in the tournament. Tournament hockey is about playing your best hockey when it counts, you got to peak at the right time and have a really strong squad through all the lines. We have shown in Paris [at the 2024 Olympics, where India won bronze] that with an experienced squad and some youth, we can beat any team on our day," Fulton, 51, said.

Craig Fulton

World No. 8 India are placed in Pool D alongside Wales (August 15), England (August 17) and arch-rivals Pakistan (August 19), with Fulton warning his charges not to get overawed by the occasion, especially against Pakistan.

"We have a tough group and we need to do a good job against Wales in game one and really focus on building momentum. There is a lot of history about India and Pakistan. It's a perfect rivalry for the right reasons but we still have to play the game and not get overawed by the occasion," said Fulton.

While Fulton has set the bar high with regards to the expectations from the World Cup, the Asian Games in Japan (September 17 to October 4) that follows soon after is even more crucial for India, as victory will guarantee direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. And although India is the top-ranked side in Asia, Fulton is aware that they cannot afford to get too overconfident.

"Even though we are No. 1 in Asia, it doesn't guarantee we will win it [Asian Games], if we don't do our basics right, and be 100 per cent in everything. Everything needs to fire [for us] in that tournament," he added.

India's results at the last five World Cups

2023 - ninth
2018 - sixth
2014 - Ninth
2010 - eighth
2006 - Eleventh

06
No of wins for India in their last 10 FIH Pro League ties; they beat Australia, Germany, Netherlands, England and Pakistan (twice)