FIH Pro League: A topsy-turvy Indian display at Bhubaneswar

The topsy-turvy run of the Indian hockey teams at the FIH Pro League 2024-25 ended on a high with both teams finishing the Bhubaneswar leg with important victories at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday night.

The women's team scripted history by registering just their third-ever victory against The Netherlands, the Olympics and World Champions, while the Indian men's team took down the table toppers England.

With five wins from eight matches, the Indian men's team is currently in the third position on the league table. Meanwhile, after three wins from eight matches, the Indian women occupy the sixth position.

A mixed-bag tourney

Both the Indian teams had contrasting journeys on this leg. While the women's team started and ended the tournament with a win, the men's team started with a loss and ended the tournament with a win, which well and truly lifted the hosts' spirits.

That said, it was the middle phase of the tourney that painted a different picture. It was here that the women's team had just one win in six matches while the men's team had a mixed run with four wins from six matches.

Indian women's team:

A revamped Indian women's team, fresh from the inaugural women's HIL season, had a resounding start to the tournament winning a high-intensity opening match against England.

They took that momentum into the second match but they were put to the test by a young English side that nudged the hosts out in a shootout.

This outcome changed the momentum of the spirited Indian women and they lost the next three matches on the trot - two against Spain and one against Germany.

After this, the Indian team was in big trouble and found itself in the relegation zone. It took a brave effort against Germany in the reverse fixture, and a clean sheet to keep them in the hunt.

That game handed the hosts a much-needed fillip as they walked out to take on their final opponents - the world beaters in the Netherlands, who were the sheer favorites. After a gritty come-from-behind performance and a strong finish in the shootout, they walk away with their head held high.

Thus, the Indian women ended the home leg with nine points, a vast improvement from the previous season where they managed just 8 points from the whole tournament comprising 16 matches.

Despite mixed results, this leg will boost the team's confidence for the battles that lie ahead as they have tougher challenges awaiting them in the form of Australia, Argentina, China, and Belgium in June.

Men's Team

The Indian men's team began with a disheartening loss in its very first match against Spain but bounced back immediately in the reverse fixture with a clean-sheet victory.

Similarly, they faced a heavy defeat at the hands of the World Champions Germany in its third match, attracting a lot of criticism from fans and observers alike.

But, the Indian coach Craig Fulton kept his faith in the side and the boys responded well, winning the next three matches on the trot - 2 against Ireland and one against Germany.

That said, the same topsy-turvy form continued from the men's team as they posted one victory and a loss in its final two matches against the English squad.

Despite mixed fortunes, the Indian team managed to finish in the top three with just one point separating it from the leaders. However, with a tough European tour awaiting them, the question looms large - can this Indian side win its first-ever Pro League title?

Penalty corner woes

Field goals are vital in Hockey. However, penalty corner conversion is just as important as the set-piece hands a team its best chance of scoring a goal.

While both the Indian teams have displayed relatively good performances on the field with quick individual runs and stellar field goals, the penalty corner conversion is still a problem area.

Both Indian women's and men's teams had 5 of their goals via penalty corners, a number that surely needs correction.

The Indian women's team is in fourth position in terms of the number of penalty corners earned (46) so far in this season of the Pro League but when it comes to the conversion, they are in the last position with a dismal 10.87 efficiency rate.

Meanwhile, the men's team had a penalty corner efficiency of 11.1, which is not among the top nations of this current cycle of the FIH Pro League cycle.

Also, if we discard the two games against Ireland, which cannot be counted as a top hockey nation, the Indian team has scored only two penalty corners from 37 opportunities and this drops the efficiency rate drastically to 5.4.

These numbers, therefore, should worry the Indian squads as bigger encounters and the upcoming FIH Pro League away matches loom large.