Indian hockey legend P.R. Sreejesh has called on the national men's team to ignore the ongoing controversy surrounding its new saffron jersey and concentrate on ending the country's 50-year wait for a medal at the FIH Hockey World Cup, which begins next month in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The former goalkeeper, who was a key member of India's back-to-back Olympic bronze medal-winning teams, said the debate over the change in jersey colour should not distract the players from their primary objective of delivering a strong performance on the field.
Speaking to PTI, Sreejesh said he was surprised by the scale of the controversy, pointing out that India had also worn different jersey colours during previous World Cups without attracting similar attention.
"To be honest, I didn't initially understand what the issue was because the jersey colour had changed for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups as well. One of our training kits was also orange. Why is there so much discussion this time? Is it because of the saffron colour or simply because the jersey has changed?" he asked.
India's men's and women's hockey teams will wear saffron jerseys as their primary kit during the World Cup instead of the traditional blue, a decision that has sparked criticism from several former captains, including Viren Rasquinha, Dhanraj Pillay, Ajit Pal Singh, Vasudevan Baskaran and Pargat Singh. While Sreejesh said he had no objection to the change in colour itself, he questioned the explanation that blue jerseys reduce visibility on blue hockey turfs.
"I have no issue with changing the jersey colour, but the reason being cited is strange. If blue jerseys are really a visibility problem on blue turf, then the team should never wear blue again," he remarked.
The 38-year-old acknowledged that similar colours between the playing surface and jerseys could have a minor impact on visibility but said it had never been regarded as a significant issue since blue turfs were introduced ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.
"It is true that having the same colour makes visibility a little difficult, but for the last 14 years we have continued playing in blue jerseys in almost every major tournament, including the Tokyo and Paris Olympics," he said.
Sreejesh also noted that the decision to adopt the new jersey had reportedly been made with the consent of the players and in accordance with International Hockey Federation (FIH) regulations.
"From what I have seen, the players agreed to the change. Hockey India would have obtained the necessary approval from the FIH. Since the Netherlands also wear orange, India can always use the alternate white jersey in that match," he explained. According to Sreejesh, once the players have accepted the decision, there is little value in prolonging the debate.
"If the players have approved this decision, then the matter should end there because ultimately it is they who have to perform on the field," he said. With the issue taking on political overtones in recent days, Sreejesh firmly stated that sport should remain separate from politics.
"I believe politics should be kept away from sports. The players are the most important people in this situation. If they have no problem with the jersey, then outsiders should not create unnecessary issues either," he said.
However, the former India captain felt that if Hockey India intended to introduce a new primary jersey, the transition should have been made much earlier to allow the squad to become accustomed to playing in it.
"I think the players should have been given opportunities to play in this jersey before the World Cup. We are all used to seeing teammates in blue. As a goalkeeper, I instinctively looked for Harmanpreet in a blue jersey because that is what I have always known. If the colour had to change, it should have happened well in advance," he said.
Despite the off-field debate, Sreejesh expressed confidence that the current Indian team possesses the maturity to block out distractions and remain focused on its World Cup campaign.
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"Within the team, we always spoke about staying away from outside noise. Players are aware of what is being said, but fortunately they still have time. The team is already in Europe, and now they must put all these issues aside and focus entirely on the tournament," he said.
Looking ahead to the competition, Sreejesh believes India has a genuine opportunity to end its five-decade-long wait for a World Cup medal. He said topping the group could pave the way for a favourable route to the semifinals.
"We have waited for so many years. This time, we have a golden opportunity. England is probably the toughest team in our pool. If we finish first, we could face Argentina, a side we have beaten before. That gives us a realistic chance of reaching the semifinals," he said.
Concluding his message, Sreejesh urged the players to focus solely on their performance and seize what he described as a rare opportunity.
"My message to the team is simple—play your best hockey, enjoy the tournament, forget the pressure, forget the off-field discussions, and win a medal. Fifty years is a very long wait, and opportunities like this do not come often."
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