Bad news for Team India in three-day warm-up game vs Sri Lanka XI, ca…

Indians vs Sri Lanka XI: Team India’s injury woes are continuing to pile on ahead of the first Test of two-match series against Sri Lanka beginning at Galle on August 15. The visitors are already missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy due to injuries while batter Sai Sudharsan is yet to join the squad in Sri Lanka. In what will be huge blow for Team India, captain Shubman Gill has joined this injury list on Friday. forestarrow.help

On Day 1 of their three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka XI, Gill was missing from Indians playing 11 with vice-captain KL Rahul coming out to lead the side. The Indian skipper has picked up a finger injury after being hit on his fingers while fielding in the slips.

Gill picked up the niggle during a training session at Nondescripts Cricket Club ground on Thursday and as result, KL Rahul is leading the side in his absence. SLC XI led by Sonal Dinusha won the toss and opted to bat in the three-day practice game.

“Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI posted on its ‘X’ handle. “KL Rahul will lead the team in Gill’s absence.”

Update: Captain Shubman Gill sustained an impact injury to his right ring finger during India’s practice on Thursday. As a precautionary measure, he will not take the field on Day 1 of the warm-up game against SLC XI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.

KL Rahul… https://t.co/Mzu2yW4OgX

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 7, 2026

It remains to be seen if Gill be able to come out and bat on Days 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday as the Indians are expected to do majority of the batting after bowling first on the opening day. Sai Sudharsan, who is dealing with a toe niggle and is currently in Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) is yet to join the squad in Sri Lanka. According to media reports, Sudharsan is expected to arrive in Colombo on Saturday.

Bumrah has already been ruled out of the series with a knee injury and was replaced by Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi in the squad. “It becomes a little difficult that you come to the ground on the morning and you come to know a player has a niggle, then it’s almost like do you want to take a chance. Some player is 80 per cent fit, you are playing with five bowlers and if this player comes out after bowling five overs, then who will bowl? This is difficult. So as a group we need improved our fitness and all those things,” Gill had said during the ODI series in England last month.

India are touring Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, starting at Galle on August 15. The second Test will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground from August 23.

For Indian men’s hockey, the last few years have brought belief back into the team. Winning bronze medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics showed that India can once again compete with the best teams in the world. After years of inconsistency, the team has become a regular contender on the biggest stage.

Yet one record continues to stand out. India have not reached the semi-finals of the Hockey World Cup since winning the title under Ajit Pal Singh in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. More than five decades have passed without a World Cup medal. While the Olympic drought ended in Tokyo, the World Cup remains unfinished business.

The 2026 Hockey World Cup presents perhaps India’s best opportunity in many years to change that.

A Different India Under Craig Fulton

When Craig Fulton took over as head coach, he did not promise attacking hockey or spectacular performances. Instead, he focused on making India much harder to beat.

His philosophy is simple, Press, Counter, Perform.

India now defend in a far more organised manner. Rather than committing too many players forward, they stay compact, absorb pressure and look to hit opponents quickly on the counter-attack. The change has been clear over the past year.

At the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India’s defence struggled, especially in transition, and New Zealand knocked them out in the crossover match. Fulton has worked extensively to fix those weaknesses.

The improvement has already shown. India have registered impressive wins over world champions Germany and Olympic champions Netherlands in the FIH Pro League. Instead of relying only on individual skill, they now look like a side that understands how to control matches.

That defensive discipline could become their biggest strength in the World Cup.

Experience Meets Youth

India’s squad has a healthy balance between experienced players and exciting young talent.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh remains the team’s biggest match-winner. His penalty-corner conversion is among the best in the world, while his defensive leadership gives India confidence at the back. In close matches, one drag-flick can decide everything, making Harmanpreet India’s most important player.

Alongside him is Manpreet Singh, India’s most-capped player. His experience, game awareness and calmness remain invaluable in midfield.

Players like Hardik Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad bring energy and creativity, helping India move quickly from defence into attack.

Up front, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Mandeep Singh fit perfectly into Fulton’s system. Their constant pressing forces mistakes from opposition defenders and creates opportunities to launch quick counter-attacks.

Pool D: A Group India Must Get Through

India begin their campaign in Pool D at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. The objective is straightforward, finish in the top two and avoid the crossover matches.

The crossover proved costly in 2023, and India will want to stay away from another sudden-death situation.

Their group fixtures are:

• August 15 – Wales: India will be expected to start with a victory. A convincing win could also improve their goal difference, which may become important later.
• August 17 – England: This promises to be India’s toughest group match. England are physically strong and well organised, making this a good test of India’s defensive structure.
• August 19 – Pakistan: Few matches in world hockey carry as much emotion as India versus Pakistan. While emotions will naturally be high, India will need to stick to their tactical plan rather than get carried away by the occasion.

If India finish in the top two, they move into the second group stage and avoid the uncertainty of the crossover round.

Results Don’t Tell the Full Story

Looking only at the final FIH Pro League table would suggest India are struggling. They finished eighth, with only Pakistan below them.

But the season was divided into two very different phases. The home leg in Rourkela was disappointing. India lost all four matches, including a heavy 8-0 defeat against Argentina. At that stage, questions were being asked about the team’s form.

The European leg painted a completely different picture. India defeated the Netherlands 3-2 and Germany 3-1 in Rotterdam before moving to London. There, they narrowly lost 2-1 to Germany, beat Pakistan twice by 4-3 and 7-1, and split their two shootout matches against England.

More importantly, the performances looked much sharper than the results in Rourkela. This follows a pattern under Fulton. Before the Paris Olympics, India also had mixed results in the build-up. Fulton was more interested in testing combinations and managing workloads than chasing victories. When the Olympics began, India looked fully prepared and went on to win another bronze medal.

The recent Pro League performances suggest a similar approach ahead of the World Cup.

The Bigger Challenge May Still Be Ahead

If India progress from Pool D, the task becomes much harder. Based on the current draw, they are likely to face teams such as Netherlands and Argentina in the second group stage.

The Netherlands remain one of the strongest teams in world hockey, while Argentina continue to be among the toughest opponents on the international circuit.

Getting through that stage and reaching the semi-finals would mark India’s best World Cup performance since 1975.

Time to Break the Barrier

India have already proved they belong among the world’s top teams.

Two Olympic bronze medals have restored confidence. The squad is experienced, the young players have matured and Craig Fulton has built a side that understands how to win difficult matches.

The question now is whether they can produce the same level of consistency in a World Cup.

Given the progress made over the last few years and a favourable group draw, anything less than a place in the semi-finals would feel like a missed opportunity.

The 2026 Hockey World Cup offers India their best chance in more than half a century to end their long wait for a World Cup medal.

The journey begins on August 15. By the end of the tournament, this team has the opportunity to write a new chapter in Indian hockey history.

Also Read: “Our Fighting Spirit Must Be Visible”: Salima Tete Ahead of the World Cup

The post From Olympic Podium to World Cup Drought: Can India Finally End a 51-Year Wait? appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Montevideo [Uruguay], August 7 (ANI): Uruguay football legend Diego Forlan returns to the national set-up as the head coach of the senior national teams and the under-20 sides.

Forlan, who is best known for representing Uruguay from 2002-14 and clubs like Manchester United, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, is one of the most important figures of his country’s football history. He comes to the setup after the team’s group stage finish in the FIFA World Cup, where the two-time champions failed to win a match, marking their worst performance in the tournament’s history.

A statement from the Uruguayan Football Association said, “The Uruguayan Football Association announces the return of Diego Forlan to the Uruguayan National Team. One of the most important figures in the history of La Celeste begins a new chapter: he will be the head coach of both the Under-20 and Senior National Teams."

“Forlan returns to where he left an indelible mark. A role model, icon, and emblem of an unforgettable generation, the best player of the 2010 South Africa World Cup returns now to contribute his experience, leadership, and profound knowledge of international football from a technical position," the statement added.

Forlan represented Uruguay in 112 matches, scoring 36 goals and capturing the Copa America 2011 with them and playing a crucial role in their fourth-place finish in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with five goals.

Forlan will begin working immediately with the under-20 team. There, he will lead a project aimed at developing young talent, supporting their growth, and strengthening their path to the senior national team. He will work with Santiago Espasandin and Diego Perez as assistant coaches, Marco Mansulino as physical trainer, Ignacio Bordad as goalkeeping coach, and Gabriel Skrilec as video analyst.

His first challenge at the helm of the senior national team will come during the September-October international window, when Uruguay plays its FIFA friendly matches. It will mark the beginning of a new era, with one of its greatest idols once again at the helm. (ANI)

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