2026 ഏഷ്യൻ ഗെയിംസിൽ ഇന്ത്യൻ പുരുഷ-വനിതാ ഹോക്കി ടീമുകൾ സ്വർണ്ണ മെഡൽ നേടി ചരിത്രം കുറിച്ചു. ലോകകപ്പിലെ തിരിച്ചടികൾക്ക് ശേഷം പുരുഷ ടീം കരുത്തോടെ തിരിച്ചെത്തിയപ്പോൾ, മികച്ച പ്രകടനത്തിലൂടെ വനിതാ ടീം 44 വർഷത്തെ കാത്തിരിപ്പിന് വിരാമമിട്ടു. ഈ വിജയത്തോടെ ഇരു ടീമുകളും 2028 ഒളിമ്പിക്സിലേക്ക് നേരിട്ട് യോഗ്യത ഉറപ്പിച്ചു. ഇന്ത്യൻ ഹോക്കിയുടെ സുവർണ്ണ കാലഘട്ടമാണിത്.
The Asian Games will bring an end to what has been a trying three months for Indian hockey. At least, on the turf. It culminated with both the men's and women's teams on their respective podiums, gold medals around their necks, a first for the nation, and tickets to the 2028 Olympics punched.
While the outcome was the same, the journeys of the two teams to get there could hardly have been more different.
The men's team, which had taken a beating at the World Cup just over a month ago, arrived in Japan with a reputation for being the best in the continent and a title to defend.
The inexperienced women's team, meanwhile, had ticked off another target in the space of eight months under returning coach Sjoerd Marijne.
The Asiad gold, India's first in 44 years, caps a run that has included World Cup qualification, promotion to the Pro League and the country's best finish at the World Cup in 51 years. Not many would have given this group a chance of having the year it has had, particularly dethroning China as the continent's best team.
This group had the talent and belief to make the gold medal clash, putting the rest of the field to the sword while raining in goals, 68 in the first six matches alone. At the World Cup, this team had insisted there was no fear factor when it came up against the best.
In the Asian Games final, it walked the talk again, turning its early dominance into a lead through a rasping tomahawk from Lalremsiami from a tight angle. From there, though, India had to put its newfound defensive resilience to the test against China's relentless search for an equaliser, which never came.
India's impressive defenders didn't allow the Chinese to find good goal-scoring positions inside the circle, while its Penalty Corner (PC) defence, led by skipper Salima Tete in the first line and Navneet Kaur in the line defence, stood firm against multiple attempts.
China's best opportunity came from a Penalty Stroke in the second quarter, but veteran Savita Punia pulled off a stunning save to thwart Zhang Ying.
When the final hooter went, the jubilant celebrations felt like a pivotal moment in this team's development. After all, this was a squad featuring 10 tournament debutants with an average age of 25, blending the right mix of experienced nous and youthful zest.
The emergence of Deepika, who top-scored with 21 goals, including 19 from PCs, will ease the goal-scoring burden on Navneet. And she is only 22. Then there is Ishika (20), Sunelita Toppo (20), Rutaja Pisal (23), Lalthantluangi (20) and Sakshi Rana (19).
Having tasted success with the Nations Cup and Asian Games, they will be keen to ride this positive momentum, with the Summer Games in their sights. But Marijne and Co. will know there is still a considerable gap to bridge against the likes of Netherlands and Argentina.
Two years may not be enough to get there, but Marijne now has almost the entire Olympic cycle to put plans in place to challenge for a podium place in Los Angeles.
For Craig Fulton's men, familiar issues that had plagued much of 2026, including the World Cup, resurfaced in the semifinal against Pakistan, when they blew a 3-0 lead. India's inability to exert control in midfield and its cheap concessions in possession allowed Pakistan to draw level in the fourth quarter.
Panic seemed to set in as Fulton hooked goalkeeper Mohith HS for Suraj Karkera with 12 minutes to go. Pakistan had a huge opportunity to claim the lead from a PC, but Amit Rohidas' superb first run blocked the dragflick.
With less than a minute left on the clock, a kind deflection right came to the rescue for India as it avoided the agony of a nervy shoot-out. "Relieved," was how both Fulton and skipper Harmanpreet Singh described their feelings after reaching the final, but the experience served as a wake-up call before the decider.
India took a 2-1 lead into half-time, but was once again caught in an end-to-end tussle against the speedy Malaysians. After the break, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad stemmed the flow of counter-attacks before India's attacking quality put the contest beyond Malaysia's reach.
A second successive gold medal will make for a glittering addition to the mantelpiece, but the campaign, much like the year, offered few solutions for the road ahead.
Harmanpreet remains this team's most valuable player, while Abhishek Nain, Dilpreet Singh and Shilanand Lakra, despite coming up against substandard opponents, furthered their reputations with their flair and goal-scoring.
After another below-par major tournament, this could likely be the end of the road for Mandeep Singh. Fulton will be hoping to find more bodies to challenge India's ageing midfield and defence as he builds towards the Olympics.
It remains an impressive achievement by both teams, despite the off-field infighting within the federation ranks threatening to dominate the on-field proceedings. To blue or to saffron remained a controversial topic before the Games. Despite Hockey India (HI) chief Dilip Tirkey stating India will play in blue kits, both teams played all their matches in the new colours.
Marijne and the women's team were grateful for the Hockey India League, which provided a testing ground for younger players to showcase their abilities. Yet with less than three months to go for next season, there is still no clarity on the tournament's future.
If HI is serious about challenging for a double podium placing at the LA Olympics, it will have to find a swift resolution to the issues in its office and start putting the teams' interests first.