Indian hockey team coach Craig Fulton has hinted at major changes in the team for the Pro-League next year. Keeping in mind the Olympics to be held in Los Angeles in 2028, a period of change is beginning in Team India. India are scheduled to face Germany, Argentina, Great Britain and Spain in the home leg of the Pro League in February.
Fulton told news agency PTI, 'We will select a new team for the Pro-League in January (February). We have very little time to practice as the players will go back to their respective franchises. Fulton said, 'We will create a new team, which will play in the Pro-League. After this we will start the 2027-28 cycle with that team.
India will tour New Zealand this month after the Asian Champions Trophy. To commemorate the completion of 100 years of the first historic hockey tour of India in 1926, a special international test series will be played between these two teams. India will play three Test matches in Auckland on 19, 21 and 22 November.
Also read: PV Sindhu won Hilo Open title, defeated Danish shuttler in the final
The team has not been finalized for the New Zealand tour – Fulton
Fulton said, 'The team to tour New Zealand has not been finalized yet. We will announce this in the coming days. Nothing official yet. Every team goes through a period of change. We have made changes before. We have played the Asian Champions Trophy three times and our team was changed all three times.
He further said, 'The team playing in Chennai (2023) was different from the team playing in Hulunbuir (2024). We have changed 9 players since the last team. Now this team is different. India's performance in the World Cup this year was disappointing and it finished eighth. The Harmanpreet Singh-led team, however, retained the Asian Games title and also qualified directly for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Also read: Asian Champions Trophy: After India, South Korea-Japan cut semi-final ticket
Fulton told where improvement is needed
Fulton said, 'In the big matches of the World Cup, when we needed to score, we could not score and we also conceded some easy goals. Therefore, there is a need for improvement in both our defense and front line.
He further said, 'We are good at scoring and defending against Asian teams but against European and higher ranked teams we have to keep improving. We will try our options in the New Zealand tour and then prepare a new team.