'No politics, it was team’s decision'

'No politics, it was team’s decision' - India captain Harmanpreet Singh on hockey orange jersey controversy | EXCLUSIVE

The change in the colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey has sparked debate, with many asking the question whether there was a political angle behind Hockey India’s decision to replace the blue with saffron. In a politically charged India, the question is inevitable. However, India’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh has dismissed such claims, making clear that the decision was based on technical considerations following discussions between players, coaches and support staff.

Harmanpreet was clear that the team’s focus is firmly on the World Cup rather than the controversy over the colour of the jersey. According to him, it was a collective decision taken by the players and staff, with the clear purpose of improving on-field performance.

“We are focusing on what we should be focusing on,” he said. “We are not paying much attention to these things. It was a collective decision by the team and the coaches. There was no mistake in it.”

The captain went on to explain that hockey has changed a lot over the years, including the switch from yellow to white balls, green to blue pitches. He said the move to orange jerseys followed a very logical thinking after players experienced difficulties spotting each other on blue synthetic pitches.

“When we used to play with the yellow ball, there were difficulties then as well,” said Harmanpreet. “We keep analysing these things step by step, and if changes are needed, they should be made. During our training on the blue pitch for the World Cup, the difference was clear. You can spot your team-mates much more easily. That’s the reason behind the change.”

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Harmanpreet also dismissed suggestions that the decision had any political considerations, reiterating that it was taken entirely from a sporting perspective. “There is no politics in it,” he said. “It was the team’s decision. The coaches and the team decided it. We should focus on our game and support the team instead of creating unnecessary controversy.”

Earlier in the day, Hockey India also issued a detailed clarification on the matter. “The decision to change the uniform colour was based on recommendations from the support staff and players following detailed consultations,” the federation said. “The primary consideration was technical. It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend with the blue synthetic playing surface, which is now the standard colour of international hockey pitches. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players.”

Harmanpreet also confirmed that they have played a match today in the new jersey and it helped the players spot each other better. “I can confirm that we have played a game today and the jersey colour change helped. It was easier with the blue and blue of the jersey and the pitch merging into each other on occasions,” said the captain.

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