Former Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh questioned the performance of the men’s team after finishing eighth in the FIH Pro League 2025-26 for the second consecutive season, saying India should consider themselves world champions instead of taking solace in doing well in Asian tournaments.India ended their Pro League campaign with a 3-2 win against England after a goalless draw in London on Sunday. The result helped India finish eighth with 19 points from 16 matches, having won just four matches in the season. Only Pakistan finished lower in the nine-team table.Responding to the campaign, Sreejesh said he was speaking out because he cared about Indian hockey.“I am not against Indian hockey. I am upset because I care. My hockey knowledge may be limited, and this is just my opinion. (Secret trainers, you can skip this.)He also said that India have now finished eighth in the Pro League in consecutive seasons and argued that India is experimenting with players or tactics.“The last two seasons of the FIH Pro League have shown the reality – we finished 8th. If it wasn’t for Ireland and Pakistan, the standings would have looked worse. Don’t tell me we are trying new players or using new strategies.”While acknowledging India’s recent achievements in Asia, he said it should not be seen as a benchmark for the future of the group.“Yes, we have won the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. We are very grateful to the team. But let’s be honest: these tournaments will no longer be a marker of where Indian hockey is in the world.”He also spoke about the mindset that many Indians are building with Asian Games because it works like an Olympic competition.“Now the usual explanation will be: ‘We are focusing on the Asian Games because they are Olympic qualifiers.’ It makes sense, but the Pro League table doesn’t lie. It showed exactly where we stood against the best in the world. “Sreejesh said that the gap between India and the rest of Asia is clear and that victory alone will not satisfy the team.“Our small team can defeat Pakistan, it also shows the difference between India and the rest of Asia. Winning the Asian championships is expected. The biggest challenge is to constantly compete with the top teams in the world. “He also questioned whether the investment in hiring a foreign head coach is bringing the expected results.“Here’s the question: Do we spend €24,286 a month on a foreign head coach just to manage Asian competitions? Or are we investing to become a real medalist at the World Cup, Pro League, and Olympics?”“Satisfaction with regional success when competing against the world’s elite should not be the standard of Indian hockey. Supporting the team does not mean staying silent. Real fans ask tough questions because they want high standards—not to lower expectations,” said Sreejesh.
