FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup: Diminishing participation of players of Indian origin

Every Hockey World Cup is unique in so many ways. Sop is the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 that got underway at both Bhubaneswar and Rourkela on Friday. It is for the first time that this 16-nation 44-match mega hockey event is played in two different cities. Never before was Men’s World Cup hosted by two cities simultaneously.

This apart, the 2023 World Cup will also go down the history annals that none of the 15 outside teams (other than hosts India) has been represented by any player of Indian origin. None of the previous World Cups went unrepresented as players of Indian origin donned colours of other major hockey-playing nations, including Canada, the USA, New Zealand, England and Malaysia.

While Canada and USA did not qualify for the current edition, teams from England, Malaysia and New Zealand playing in the Odisha World Cup are without any player of Indian origin in general and Sikh player in particular.

Great Britain, of which England is a part, had the distinction of sending a player of Indian origin – Kulbir Bhaura – who wore Olympic bronze and gold medals. Imran Sherwani had been the other player of South Asian origin to represent England and Great Britain teams. Some may recall the 1982 World Cup in Bombay (now Mumbai) where another p[layer of Punjabi origin, was given the honour of leading England in his farewell match. He was Sutinder Singh Khehar. Sutinder played in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups for England and was a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games team. Great Britain, however, joined the boycott and did not send its team to Moscow.

After Kulbir and Sutinder left, the last player of Punjabi descent to play for England was Mani Kochar who played in the 2001 Champions Trophy in Rotterdam. Since then, probably no player of Punjabi or Indian origin has represented England or Great Britain in the Olympics or World Cups.

 Among others, New Zealand had been regularly represented by players of Indian origin. The 1968 Olympic team of New Zealand had Ramesh Patyel who later steered New Zealand hockey for a number of years. Peter Daji was another player of Indian origin to represent Black Sticks for a number of years. The last player of Indian origin for New Zealand was Pancchia. After he left last year, no one has continued to hold the Indian Diaspora flag in the Kiwis team.

Malaysia, which was once led by Sarjit Singh. too, now goes unrepresented by players of Indian origin. After  Maninderjit Singh and Aphtar Singh. Baljit Singh was the last to do the honours.

Prabhjot Singh