India men’s hockey coach Craig Fulton hints at major squad changes for the upcoming edition of the Pro LeagueScroll down to read the full story.
Published: November 2, 2026, 5:22 PM IST
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Craig Fulton hints at major changes in India’s hockey squad (Image – X)
Team India men’s hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton has given a major hint regarding changes in the squad for the next year’s edition of the Pro League as the Indian team is now preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Indian hockey team will face teams like Germany, Argentina, Great Britain and Spain in the Pro League in February.
“We will select a new squad for the Pro League in January (February)There is very little time to train because the players will go back to their respective franchises“We will name a new squad, which will play in the Pro League, and then start the 2027-28 cycle with that squad,” Fulton told PTI.
After the completion of the Asian Champions Trophy, the Indian team will head to New Zealand this monthThe reason behind this visit is they will face New Zealand for a special Test seriesThis series will mark 100 years since India’s first hocky tour of New Zealand in 1926.
Team India is scheduled to take on New Zealand in the three Tests, which will be played on November 19, 21 and 22 in Auckland.
“The squad (for New Zealand) has not been finalised yet, and it will be announced in the coming days,” Fulton said.
“There is nothing official yetEvery team needs transition, and every team needs to changeWe have already made changesWe have played the Asian Champions Trophy three times, and we have never had the same team on all three occasions,” Fulton said.
“The team that played in Chennai (2023) was different from the one that played in Hulunbuir (2024)We have changed nine players since the previous teamThe team is different now,” he added.
The Indian team disappointed the fans after displaying a poor performance in the World Cup, this yearHowever, the team made a solid comeback by retaining the Asian Games title, which also helped them secure direct qualification for the LA Olympics.
Chief coach Craig Fulton said the team need to perform more well against European sides and other higher-ranked teams.
“We didn’t score goals when we needed to in the big games (at the World Cup), and we conceded some soft goalsSo, both our defence and attack need to improve.
“Against Asian opposition, our ability to score goals and defend is goodBut against European opposition and higher-ranked teams, we have to keep improving,” he said.
“We are looking at both attack and defenceBut it is not about identifying a particular player at this stageIt is about mindset and mentality in the big gamesAll players make mistakes, and all players make good plays.”
