Indian hockey teams revert to traditional blue for Asian Games
Indian hockey squads are officially returning to their traditional blue kits for the 2026 Asian Games, abandoning the saffron and white gear worn during the recent World Cups. This decision follows significant pushback from fans and former athletes who strongly prefer the historic blue uniform used since India debuted at the 1928 Olympics.
Internal emails starting August 6 show a senior Hockey India official attempted to keep saffron as the primary colour and white as the secondary kit for both rosters. Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, who hails from Odisha - the state serving as the global hub and official sponsor for Indian hockey - stepped in to mandate blue as the primary choice. Tirkey clarified on Tuesday that the saffron gear was never meant to be a permanent replacement. He noted that the federation had seven colours available to select from, but the Asian Games will definitely see players competing in blue.
Player Outcry and Legacy Concerns
Former national captain Viren Rasquinha voiced his frustration publicly on X, calling the change embarrassing. He stated that he wore the blue kit with pride and questioned the logic behind wearing orange, stressing that the legacy of the national squad is forever tied to blue. When the shift to saffron occurred for the World Cups in Belgium and the Netherlands, some officials argued it would help players spot each other better on the blue artificial turf.
Federation representatives originally claimed they consulted the players before introducing the saffron gear. In reality, five different squad members denied having any knowledge of this move beforehand, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The situation grew more complicated when Tirkey stated he was also kept in the dark until the very last minute. He wrote a firm letter demanding answers about the decision-making process, questioning the authority behind the change, and asking whether appropriate governance rules were followed.
Despite the uniform drama, the women secured a fifth-place finish at their World Cup, marking their best result in over fifty years. Conversely, the men faced a tough campaign and returned home with an eighth-place finish. Moving forward to the Asian Games, both groups will hit the field wearing their historic colours, bringing an end to the kit controversy.
