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Former India hockey captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha questioned Hockey India’s decision to have the national team wear an orange jersey, saying the team’s identity and legacy have always been associated with the colour blue.
The former Olympian’s remarks came after Hockey India unveiled the new jerseys for the senior men’s and women’s teams on July 27, ahead of the upcoming FIH Men’s and Women’s Hockey World Cups.
The men’s tournament is scheduled to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30, while the women’s tournament will take place from August 15 to 30.
Expressing his disappointment on X, Viren wrote, “I must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done many good things for (hockey emotes). But this is embarrassing. The legacy & identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE. I wore the Blue jersey with pride for many years. Fans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?”
India was drawn in Pool D along with England, Wales and arch-rivals Pakistan. Having won the 1975 edition by beating Pakistan 2-1 in the final, the World Cup glory has eluded India for the last 50 years.
Having registered a ninth-place finish in the 2023 edition held at Bhubaneswar, India will be aiming to bring the gold home, riding on the back of the momentum of two back-to-back Olympic bronze medals, an Asia Cup title win, two Asian Champions Trophy wins and an Asia Cup gold.
India women’s side will begin its campaign against China on 16 August, followed by matches against South Africa and England in Pool D.
Ahead of the team’s departure, captain Salima Tete expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and said, “The entire squad is looking forward to the challenge ahead. We’ve had a good training block, and now it’s about carrying that momentum into the practice matches and then the World Cup. Facing China in our opening game will be an important test, and we want to start the tournament on a positive note. As a team, we are determined to give our best and make the country proud.”-ANI