India hockey jersey change to saffron: Dilip Tirkey cites visibility issues on blue turf
Synopsis
India's hockey teams are heading to the FIH World Cup in saffron, not blue — and Hockey India says it was the players' own call. President Dilip Tirkey's visibility-on-blue-turf explanation is technically sound, but it hasn't quieted critics like former captain Viren Rasquinha who see the iconic blue jersey as more than just a colour.
Key Takeaways
Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey confirmed on 30 July that the jersey change from blue to saffron was recommended by players, coaches, and support staff.
The technical reason cited: blue jerseys create visibility issues when playing on blue artificial turf .
Two colours — saffron and yellow — were shortlisted; players and coaches chose saffron, also a colour of the Indian national flag .
Former captain Viren Rasquinha publicly questioned the move away from India's traditional blue kits.
India has previously worn yellow jerseys in 2014 and sky blue jerseys in 2018 at international tournaments.
The FIH Men's World Cup begins 14 August and the FIH Women's World Cup on 15 August in the Netherlands and Belgium .
Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey on Thursday, 30 July defended the decision to switch the Indian men's and women's hockey teams' jersey colour from blue to saffron ahead of the FIH World Cup, stating the change was driven by technical visibility concerns raised by players, coaches, and support staff who found blue kits difficult to distinguish on blue artificial turf.
Why the Colour Changed
Tirkey explained that playing in blue jerseys on blue hockey turf creates visibility-related difficulties for players and officials. Two alternative colours — saffron and yellow — were shortlisted, with the squad and coaching staff ultimately opting for saffron. 'The change from blue to orange was made on the recommendation of the players, coaching staff, and support staff... Technically, when the team plays on blue turf, the blue jersey creates visibility-related issues. That is why two colours, saffron and yellow, were shortlisted. The players and coaches chose saffron, as it is one of the colours of the national flag,' Tirkey said.
The Controversy It Sparked
Hockey India unveiled the new saffron kits on Monday, replacing the team's traditional blue jerseys for the upcoming World Cup. The announcement triggered a sharp public debate. Former Indian captain Viren Rasquinha publicly questioned the rationale behind abandoning the team's iconic blue colours, reflecting a broader sentiment among fans and ex-players who associate the blue jersey with India's hockey identity.
Not the First Jersey Change
Tirkey was quick to point out that jersey colour changes are not unprecedented in Indian hockey. The team wore yellow jerseys in 2014 and sky blue jerseys in 2018, indicating that kit colours have been adjusted at various tournaments based on circumstances. He urged stakeholders not to read more into the decision than its stated technical basis. 'There is a technical reason behind the move to the saffron jersey, so it is better not to make an unnecessary issue out of it,' he said.
Future Flexibility on Jersey Colour
Tirkey indicated that the saffron jersey is not a permanent fixture and that player comfort will remain the deciding factor going forward. 'If after or during the World Cup, the team or players do not feel comfortable with the orange colour, which was introduced based on their own request, we can definitely change it in the future to a colour that the team prefers,' he said.
World Cup Schedule
The FIH Men's Hockey World Cup is scheduled to begin on 14 August and the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup on 15 August, with both tournaments being held across the Netherlands and Belgium. India's teams will take to the blue turf in their new saffron kits as the debate over the colour switch continues to simmer back home.
Point of View
And the 2014 yellow jersey precedent shows this isn't new territory. But Hockey India's communication stumbled: unveiling the change without proactively explaining the rationale handed critics like Rasquinha an open goal. The deeper question is whether a federation governing a sport so culturally tied to its blue identity can afford to treat jersey decisions as purely technical without a more deliberate stakeholder conversation. Tirkey's assurance that the colour can revert after the World Cup suggests even Hockey India sees this as provisional — which raises the question of why the rollout wasn't framed that way from the start.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did India change its hockey jersey colour from blue to saffron?
Hockey India changed the jersey colour to saffron because players, coaches, and support staff reported visibility difficulties when wearing blue kits on blue artificial turf. The change was made on their recommendation ahead of the FIH World Cup.
Who decided the new saffron jersey colour for the Indian hockey team?
The decision was made by the players and coaching staff themselves, according to Hockey India President Dilip Kumar Tirkey. Two colours — saffron and yellow — were shortlisted, and the squad chose saffron, partly because it appears on the Indian national flag.
Has India ever changed its hockey jersey colour before?
Yes. India wore yellow jerseys in 2014 and sky blue jerseys in 2018 at international tournaments. Tirkey cited these precedents to argue that kit colour changes are not unusual in Indian hockey.
Who criticised the saffron jersey decision?
Former Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha publicly questioned the logic of moving away from the team's traditional and iconic blue jersey, reflecting concerns shared by several fans and ex-players.
When does India play at the FIH World Cup and where?
The FIH Men's Hockey World Cup begins on 14 August and the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup on 15 August, with both tournaments hosted across the Netherlands and Belgium.
