Indian hockey team’s jersey colour change to saffron draws criticism from former captains
The decision to change the Indian hockey team’s primary jersey colour to saffron for the upcoming World Cup has sparked criticism from former captains Pargat Singh and Dhanraj Pillay. Both former players have highlighted that the blue jersey has long been a defining element of the team’s identity.
The controversy began after Hockey India unveiled the new kit for both the men’s and women’s teams in anticipation of the World Cup, which 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, expressed his unhappiness with the decision. He stated that the blue jersey has been associated with Indian hockey for decades. According to Pillay, saffron, while important and auspicious as one of the colours of the national flag, has never been the traditional colour for Indian hockey. He questioned the sudden change after many years.
Pillay recounted that from the 1928 Olympic team through the eras of Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh Sr., Mohammad Shahid, and Zafar Iqbal, and even the 1980 Moscow Olympic gold medal-winning side, all played in the blue jersey. He noted that during his nearly 15-year career, the jersey remained blue. He emphasized 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 often wear varied colours.
The former captain recalled only one instance where India did not wear blue as a primary colour, which was a yellow shirt with blue shorts in a match against Argentina during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Pargat Singh, another former India captain, was more critical of the move, stating that “Everything in the country is being saffronised â education, history and now sports too. This is worrying.” He stressed that sports should unite people and transcend religion, caste, and politics, expressing concern if such ideologies enter the realm of sports.
Former India captain Viren Rasquinha has also voiced reservations regarding the change.
Hockey India’s stance and counter-arguments
Hockey India has defended its decision, explaining that the change was made after considering technical feedback from both coaches and players. Additionally, they cited the symbolic value of saffron as a colour present in the National Flag. However, both Dhanraj Pillay and Pargat Singh have rejected the arguments put forth by Hockey India.
Pillay questioned the argument that the colour change was necessary due to hockey being played on blue astro turf. He pointed out that the team has been playing on blue turf for several years without any reported issues concerning jersey colour. He also asked if there was any directive from the FIH indicating difficulties with a blue jersey on such surfaces.
Pargat Singh similarly dismissed Hockey India’s explanation regarding improved visibility on blue turf. He stated that he had never encountered such an issue during his playing days. He further questioned why, if visibility was a concern, only saffron was chosen and if other options were not considered. Pargat also disputed the claim that the decision was based on recommendations from players and coaches, asserting that players and coaches typically do not make such suggestions. 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.
Pargat emphasized that generations of Indian players, from historical figures to the current squad, have represented India in blue. He noted that iconic photographs of Indian hockey consistently show players in blue, and even during their training days, they wore blue. He concluded that the blue jersey has become synonymous with Indian hockey’s identity. While India traditionally had a white change kit, the saffron jersey has now been registered as the primary strip, a decision for which Pargat stated he sees no logical reasoning.
The World Cup is set to begin on August 15.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Priya Menon 