'Core team to play in World Cup, Asiad': Fulton says it’s vital to have two squads for busy 2026 season

CHENNAI: Indian hockey faces a stern test this season, with the World Cup followed by the Asian Games, an Olympic qualifying event. The tight turnaround between two marquee events has prompted the team management to focus on building depth and managing workload to ensure peak performance by the players.Head coach Craig Fulton outlined the plans to approach the season. “The main theme is to create more depth, which is why we rested some senior players for the Azlan Sultan Shah Cup (held in Nov). If we are to peak in both competitions, then we need two groups. The core team will play in both the events (WC and Asiad), and fresh legs will be brought in to add balance. We are working on it,” Fulton said on the sidelines of the men’s Hockey India League (HIL) match. India’s only World Cup triumph is over half a century old, while securing early qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics is an important objective.“The schedule is extremely difficult. If you were in Europe and said that you have just played the World Cup and are going to compete in the European Championships three weeks later, I do not think the teams will accept it.”Given the demanding schedule, Fulton indicated that players from the junior World Cup bronze medal-winning squad could be brought into the senior setup to further strengthen the squad. “It is still early days in the HIL. We know what we are looking for, and if there are consistent performances, we will select them for the Pro League. The junior World Cup team was put under a lot of pressure in the knockout phase, and it was good to see the emergence of another goalkeeper, Princedeep Singh. The goalkeeping department is very healthy.”The strong performances of second-choice goalkeepers Pawan and HS Mohith at the Azlan Sultan Shah Cup have further added to the squad’s depth. For now, Kishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera remain the first-choice options, with Pawan, Mohith, and Princedeep waiting in the wings.