Sreejesh demands accountability, Rasquinha warns Asian Games medal could mask India’s World Cup woes

India’s failure to reach the Hockey World Cup semi-finals has triggered sharp criticism from former stars PR Sreejesh and Viren Rasquinha, who questioned the team’s accountability and warned against using a medal at next month’s Asian Games to mask deeper problems.

The Indian men’s team, which won three successive World Cup medals between 1971 and 1975, including the 1975 title, crashed out in the second round after losing 1-3 to the Netherlands and 3-5 to Argentina.

The women’s team also failed to progress despite holding Australia to a goalless draw in their final match. Australia needed only a draw to advance.

Sreejesh questioned whether India were building a team capable of beating the world’s best or merely one that plays attractive hockey. He also criticised the repeated use of terms such as “learning” and “good hockey” to explain disappointing results at major tournaments.

“The World Cup is not a rehearsal. It is the World Cup,” Sreejesh wrote on X, calling for greater accountability.

He also warned against treating success at the upcoming Asian Games as a way to move past the World Cup disappointment. India’s men will defend their Asian Games title in Japan next month, while the women won bronze at the 2022 edition.

Viren Rasquinha, former India captain and Olympic Gold Quest CEO, raised similar concerns, saying an Asian Games gold could “paper over a lot of cracks” in Indian men’s hockey.

Rasquinha called for serious introspection after the Asian Games, identifying fitness, selection, tactics and squad depth as areas requiring attention.

India’s struggles had already been evident in the 2025/26 Pro League, where the men finished eighth among nine teams with only four wins from 16 matches.

Sreejesh also highlighted the contrasting standards applied to the Indian team, arguing that victories over Asian opponents are often celebrated while defeats against top sides are dismissed as learning experiences.

He additionally questioned the absence of women’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne during the final phase of World Cup preparations, saying the players deserved credit for their performance despite the circumstances.

India were the only Asian team to reach the second round of the World Cup, with Pakistan, Malaysia and Japan failing to win a match.

The Asian Games begin next month, with India’s men seeking to defend their title and secure another major medal after their disappointing World Cup campaigns.