Former captains criticise Indian hockey team’s new saffron jersey colour
The decision to adopt saffron as the primary jersey colour for the Indian hockey team in the upcoming World Cup has drawn criticism from former captains Pargat Singh and Dhanraj Pillay. Both former players highlighted that the blue jersey has historically been the team’s identity for decades.
The debate began following Hockey India‘s unveiling of the new kit for both the men’s and women’s teams. The World Cup is scheduled to commence on August 15 in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Concerns from Former Players
Dhanraj Pillay, who represented India in 339 international matches, including four Olympics, four World Cups, and four Champions Trophy tournaments, stated that the blue jersey has been linked with Indian hockey for many years. He acknowledged saffron’s importance as one of the colours of the national flag but noted it has not been the traditional colour for Indian hockey. He expressed confusion regarding the sudden change after such a long period.
Pillay recalled that teams from the 1928 Olympic team through to the 1980 Moscow Olympic gold medal-winning side, including players like Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh Sr., Mohammad Shahid, and Zafar Iqbal, all played in blue jerseys. He also mentioned that during his nearly 15-year career, the jersey remained blue. He emphasised that players identify with the traditional colours of their national team, distinguishing it from franchise tournaments like the IPL or Hockey India League, where teams use various colours.
The only exception Dhanraj remembered was India wearing a yellow shirt with blue shorts in a match against Argentina during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Former India captain Viren Rasquinha has also voiced reservations about the change.
Rejection of Explanations
Hockey India has stated that the decision was based on technical feedback from coaches and players, as well as the symbolic value of saffron as a national flag colour. However, both Dhanraj Pillay and Pargat Singh have dismissed these explanations.
Dhanraj questioned the argument that the change was necessary due to playing on blue astro turf. He pointed out that the team has played on blue turf for several years without any reported issues concerning jersey colour. He also asked if there was any directive from the FIH regarding difficulties with blue jerseys.
Pargat Singh was more critical, suggesting a broader trend of “saffronisation” in the country, extending to education, history, and now sports. He voiced concern that such thinking could enter sports, which he believes should unite people beyond religion, caste, and politics. He also rejected Hockey India‘s explanation about improved visibility on blue turf, stating he never experienced such an issue. He further questioned why, if visibility was a concern, only saffron was chosen among other potential colours.
Pargat also dismissed the claim that the decision stemmed from feedback from players and coaches, asserting that players and coaches typically do not make such recommendations. He highlighted that the FIH already has India‘s jersey colours registered and that the blue jersey has always been the identity of the Indian hockey team. He noted that generations of Indian players, from prominent figures to the current squad, have represented India in blue, and that iconic photographs of Indian hockey show players in blue. He added that while India traditionally had a white change kit, the saffron jersey has now been registered as the primary strip, and he found no logic behind this decision.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
