Two-time Olympic bronze medallist and former India goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh has launched a scathing assault on the Indian hockey administration after each the lads’s and girls’s groups failed to succeed in the semifinals of their respective World Cups.The boys’s marketing campaign ended on Monday with a 3-5 defeat towards Argentina on the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands. India will now play Belgium within the seventh-place classification match.India’s hopes of reaching the semifinals had already taken a significant blow after a 1-3 defeat to co-hosts Netherlands on Saturday. Towards Argentina, India wanted a win to remain in rivalry however their defensive frailties and failure to transform probabilities proved expensive.Argentina took the lead simply 36 seconds into the competition when Joaquin Toscani punished an error by Jarmanpreet Singh, who did not intercept a ball throughout the goalmouth. Nicolas della Torre doubled the benefit within the sixth minute, changing Argentina’s second penalty nook.Sukhjeet Singh gave India a lifeline within the tenth minute, however they have been unable to capitalise on their probabilities within the second quarter. Tomas Domene restored Argentina’s two-goal cushion within the thirty third minute earlier than finishing his brace with a penalty stroke within the forty fifth. Lucas Toscani then made it 5-2.Sukhjeet scored once more within the 58th minute and Hardil Singh lowered the deficit additional a minute later, however India couldn’t full the comeback.India additionally wasted all seven of their penalty corners, as soon as once more exposing their struggles to transform alternatives. Regardless of having fun with possession, they failed to provide sufficient finish product.Sreejesh, who retired after the Paris Olympics, took to X after India’s exits and questioned the strategy and accountability inside Indian hockey.“Don’t fear… the World Cup doesn’t matter.“The Asian Video games are coming. Win a medal there, after which we will begin dreaming about LA 2028. Apparently, that’s sufficient to cowl every little thing that went improper on the World Cup.“Girls’s chief coach on vacation simply earlier than the World Cup — and the ladies nonetheless fought their hearts out and exceeded expectations. Credit score to the gamers. However the place is the accountability? Do we actually anticipate a crew to carry out at its greatest when the chief coach is away in the course of the remaining part of preparation?“Males’s crew loses to a prime crew → ‘It’s a studying expertise.’Beats an Asian crew → ‘Nice victory.’Performs good hockey → ‘Good efficiency.’“However right here’s the uncomfortable query: Are we constructing a crew to PLAY good hockey, or a crew able to WINNING towards one of the best on this planet?“Cease hiding behind ‘studying’, ‘good hockey’ and future tournaments. The World Cup isn’t a rehearsal. It’s the World Cup.“So who’s going to ask the tough questions? Who’s going to demand accountability? And most significantly… Does anybody truly care?”Sreejesh had beforehand questioned the standard of Indian teaching after his tenure because the junior males’s crew coach was not renewed. He had guided the aspect to a bronze medal ultimately yr’s Junior World Cup.The ladies’s crew had additionally missed out on a semifinal place after being held to a goalless draw by Australia of their remaining second-round match on Sunday. The consequence despatched Australia by means of to the final 4 on the premise of getting scored extra targets.With each Indian groups failing to succeed in the semifinals, Sreejesh’s feedback have added to the scrutiny over India’s means to persistently compete with the world’s main hockey nations.
