Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has cautioned that the Indian men's hockey team will head into the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan — beginning next week — carrying significant pressure after a below-par World Cup campaign, where the side finished a disappointing eighth in the Netherlands and Belgium.

World Cup Fallout and Asian Games Stakes

The eighth-place finish at the recent men's World Cup has left India with little room for complacency ahead of the continental showdown in Japan. The stakes could not be higher: winning a gold medal at the Asian Games would also secure a direct berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, making it a must-perform tournament for both the men's and women's teams.

'Obviously, there will be pressure, given the fact that we definitely played below par in terms of men's hockey. I thought that the women's team actually overachieved and they played above expectations. So they need to continue with the positive momentum. But in men's hockey, there will definitely be pressure. But as I said, we are favourites, and we have to really be strong in what we do,' Rasquinha said in a select virtual interaction.

Where the Men's Team Fell Short

Rasquinha identified problems across every department, stopping short of singling out individuals by name. 'I think there are many areas where we can improve. I thought — I don't want to take individual names, but in all aspects, whether it was goalkeeping, whether it was overall defending as a team, midfield, supporting the attack, falling back into defence, and also sharpness of the forwards,' he said.

He was particularly pointed about the team's over-reliance on Harmanpreet Singh's drag flicks for goals. 'I think there is too much over-dependence on Harmanpreet's drag flicks to get us goals. We need to be doing far better in variations of penalty corners. We really need our forwards to step up,' he said. Rasquinha also used the phrase 'playing almost like with the handbrake' to describe a side that, in his view, was not operating at full intensity during the World Cup.

He was careful, however, to distinguish between effort and execution. 'I am absolutely not saying that there was no unity in the team. I am just saying that we can do far better in terms of intensity and fire, where everyone is joining the attack. We need to throw more numbers into attack, and we need to defend as a team,' he added.

Women's Team a Bright Spot

In contrast, Rasquinha reserved considerable praise for the Indian women's team, describing their World Cup showing as one that exceeded expectations. He was especially impressed by goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam, who stepped out of the shadow of veteran Savita to deliver, in his words, 'a fantastic World Cup.' Rasquinha also highlighted Sakshi Rana and Sunelita Toppo as young players who made a strong impact, while stressing the importance of maintaining a balance between experience and emerging talent.

Men's Goalkeepers and Key Players Assessed

On the men's custodians, Rasquinha offered a measured verdict. 'In terms of the men's team, I thought the goalkeepers Mohit and Suraj Kerkera did a decent job. Not bad, but not excellent either,' he said, acknowledging the difficulty of following a legend like PR Sreejesh. He described debutant Rajinder Singh as 'very decent' but made clear that 'many, many players need to be doing far more and far better at the Asian Games.'

The Target: Nothing Less Than Gold

Rasquinha was unequivocal about what both teams must aim for in Japan. 'Number one, the goal for both teams has to be to get gold because, as I said, Olympic qualification is on the line with a gold medal, and it's so important. Craig Fulton has a lot to do,' he said, naming the men's team head coach by name. This comes amid a broader reckoning for Indian hockey — the women's relative success at the World Cup contrasts sharply with the men's underperformance, and the Asian Games now serve as an immediate referendum on where both programmes truly stand.