The controversy over the Indian hockey teams’ decision to replace their traditional blue jersey with a saffron kit has intensified, with players reportedly denying they were consulted and Hockey India officials giving conflicting explanations about how the decision was made.
The new saffron jersey is scheduled to debut at the FIH Hockey World Cup, beginning August 15 in Belgium and the Netherlands, ending a decades-long tradition of India’s teams wearing blue or white at major international tournaments.
Hockey India has defended the colour change, saying it was made for technical reasons, arguing that blue jerseys blend with blue synthetic hockey turf, making it more difficult for players to identify teammates during matches.
India men’s captain Harmanpreet Singh also supported the move, stating that the decision was taken collectively by the players and coaching staff and rejecting suggestions of any political motive.
However, multiple reports quoting members of both the men’s and women’s teams said they were not consulted before the decision was made. Several players, speaking anonymously, disputed claims that the change reflected a team consensus.
The controversy escalated further after Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey revealed he had not been informed before the jersey change was implemented.
In an internal email, Tirkey said the decision was made without being presented to Hockey India’s Executive Boardand without his prior knowledge. He requested a written explanation from officials detailing the approval process and said he also needed clarification to respond to questions from the Odisha government, the principal sponsor of India’s national hockey teams.
Hockey India Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, however, defended the process, saying the proposal had been circulated internally and that the decision was taken after discussions with players and coaches. He denied any external pressure influenced the move and said the issue had been unnecessarily politicized.
Singh added that any decision on reconsidering the jersey change would require discussions among Hockey India’s leadership and stakeholders.
The new kit, unveiled on Hockey India’s social media platforms earlier this week, has drawn criticism from several former India captains and hockey legends, including Vasudevan Bhaskaran, Viren Rasquinha, Ajit Pal Singh and Pargat Singh, who questioned both the rationale behind abandoning India’s iconic blue colours and the impact the change could have on the team’s identity.
