India's U-18 men's hockey team clinched the U-18 Hockey Asia Cup 2026 gold medal on Friday with a dominant 4-1 victory over hosts Japan in the final at Kakamigahara, Japan. Head coach Sardar Singh said the recognition the team has received — including congratulations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi — will serve as a powerful motivator for the young players going forward.

India's Commanding Final Performance

Striker Ashish Tani Purti was the star of the final, scoring a hat-trick in the 2nd, 28th, and 34th minutes. Captain Ketan Kushwaha added the fourth goal in the 30th minute as India produced a clinical display against the home side. On the same day, the Indian women's U-18 team also returned with hardware, defeating Korea 3-0 to claim the bronze medal.

What Coach Sardar Singh Said

Speaking after a rousing welcome reception on the team's return to India, Sardar expressed his delight at the outpouring of support. 'After a victory like this, all hockey lovers across the country celebrate and show their support. You can see the enthusiasm among the players, and it feels great that so many people came to welcome them,' he said.

On the Prime Minister's congratulatory message, Sardar added: 'It is also a positive thing that the Prime Minister congratulated the entire team. In my opinion, such recognition will motivate these young players and inspire them in the future.'

Long-Term Vision for Young Talent

The coach outlined that the support staff is fully aligned with Hockey India's long-term development roadmap. 'Whatever plan Hockey India gives us, we will follow it accordingly. We hope to continue working with these players and develop good hockey players. They still have a lot of time ahead of them to progress from the junior level and eventually enter the senior team,' Sardar said.

Notably, this gold comes at a time when Indian hockey — buoyed by the senior men's team's recent international success — is investing heavily in its junior pipeline, making the U-18 title more than a standalone achievement.

Players React to Homecoming

Captain Ketan Kushwaha said upon arrival: 'I would like to thank my team and our coaches for the immense support and training we received. We are very happy to have returned as champions after winning the Asia Cup. Supporting each other was the most important thing. Our coaches trusted us, and we are proud that we lived up to that trust and came back with the title.'

Hat-trick hero Ashish Tani Purti added: 'We feel very good about our performance. We were focused on winning since the beginning. It feels great that we have won the gold medal for the country.'

What Comes Next

With the Asia Cup title secured, the squad's next steps will be guided by Hockey India's development calendar. The coaching staff has expressed its intent to continue working with this core group, with the long-term goal of transitioning the most promising players into the senior national setup.