India win men's Asian Games hockey gold again. But was it really special?

Indian hockey achieved a sensational high in Nagoya as both the men's and women's teams claimed gold medals after unbeaten campaigns.

The Indian women ended a 44-year wait for gold, winning their first Asian Games title since 1982. The men, meanwhile, went out and retained their crown, once again establishing themselves as the best team in Asia.

Yet, strangely enough, the celebrations didn't quite match the achievement.

The women's gold was greeted with an outpouring of joy. It was a result everyone hoped for, but one that was far from guaranteed. The men's triumph, on the other hand, felt almost routine. The celebrations, at least from the outside, seemed a little more muted.

Perhaps that was because, even before the tournament began, Harmanpreet Singh and Co. were expected to win gold. Anything else would have been deemed a failure.

That sentiment was perfectly encapsulated by PR Sreejesh's tweet after India's win over Malaysia.

"Nothing special We won. We were supposed to win. We are the Asian Champions. And yes WE ARE GOING TO LA! Now, time to celebrate!" said Sreejesh. The legendary goalkeeper was, of course, celebrating the victory. But his words also raised an interesting question.

Did the win really not feel special at all?

Was it just another victory for a team that was expected to dominate?

We decided to look into why India's men's hockey gold didn't quite carry the same weight as the women's triumph.DECLINE OF ASIAN HOCKEY

The biggest reason perhaps lies in the state of Asian hockey itself.

The continent's hockey landscape currently appears to be in decline, and the trend was laid bare at the World Cup. India finished eighth, but none of the other Asian teams managed to break into the top 10.

Pakistan finished 11th, Japan ended 14th and Malaysia 15th. Korea, four-time Asian Games champions, didn't even qualify for the tournament.

For India, that meant the biggest challenge was missing even before the competition had properly got going.

Apart from the game against Pakistan in the semi-final, Harmanpreet and Co. were scoring goals almost at will.

Three of their group-stage games ended with margins of 10 or more goals. India put eight past Korea, while Japan were the only side to keep them down to just two goals.

Even the final, which looked tight in the early stages, eventually turned into another one-sided affair as India ran out 5-1 winners.

So while the gold medal was absolutely deserved, there was little suspense surrounding India's march to the top.

And that, perhaps, took some of the shine off it.WORLD CUP HANGOVER

For all the goals India scored, there were also moments when the problems from last month's World Cup came back to haunt them.

The Pakistan game was the clearest example.

India were 3-0 up and looked set to score even more. Then came the familiar drop in intensity. Pakistan clawed their way back into the contest and made it 3-3 before India needed a stroke of luck in the final minute to seal the win.

Once again, the defensive errors and discipline issues that plagued India in Belgium and the Netherlands were visible.

All three of Pakistan's goals came after India lost their defensive shape, committed unnecessary fouls or picked up cards.

"Craig Fulton said before the World Cup that they're working hard on defence, you know. Even against Pakistan, in that game, it didn't show that we have worked hard on defence," said former goalkeeper Romeo James.

The job was eventually done, but these are not new concerns.

They have lingered since the start of the year, when India's Hockey Pro League campaign ended in disappointing fashion. The World Cup only amplified them, and the Asian Games did little to completely erase them.WOMEN SHOW THE WAY

If India's women provided one major lesson in Nagoya, it was that a team can be transformed when freshness, structure and modern ideas come together.

Sjoerd Marijne deserves credit for turning the women's team into a cohesive unit, but it is the way he has integrated modern hockey into their game that has worked like a treat.

He has brought in experts for fitness and mental conditioning, helping turn a team that was once plagued by injuries into one that looked physically and mentally ready for the biggest moments.

He also brought in specialist goalkeeping coaches to work with the likes of Savita Punia and Bichu Devi, helping sharpen the fine margins that can decide matches. Savita Punia arrives in India after winning gold in women's Asian Games. (Courtesy: PTI)

There was a sense of freshness within that squad. More importantly, there was a sense that everyone knew exactly what they were there to do.

"They fought well. The defence was good. Right from the beginning, they were looking good, playing well as a team, and all credit should go to the team and the coaches and the support staff," said James.

The men's team, meanwhile, had once experienced something similar.

Hangzhou felt like a new beginning for India. They had finished the 2018 Asian Games with a bronze and had endured a horror World Cup on home soil.

Then came Craig Fulton, armed with new ideas and a clear tactical vision. India suddenly looked unstoppable.

In every game, India won by at least two goals and they hammered Pakistan 10-2.

There was a sense that something new was brewing.

This time, however, that freshness seemed to be missing.

Fulton's mantra of building from the back appears to have run its course, or at least needs to be reassessed. The World Cup exposed the cracks, and the Asian Games did not fully paper over them.

Heading into the Olympic cycle, a reset may be necessary.advertisementHOCKEY INDIA INFIGHTINGThen there is the noise away from the pitch.

While India were performing well in Nagoya, the Hockey India infighting and the struggle for power between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh continued to grow louder.

It was impossible to completely separate the team from the chaos surrounding the federation.

James, who was part of the protest by hockey legends in Delhi recently, believes the players may not be immune to it either.

"They shouldn't be in fighting within the federation, because it will trickle down to the team. The games were on and this fight happened between the president and the secretary. The players maybe in tournament mode, but it will affect them. No doubt the infighting in hockey India will affect the players. In the future, they have to put it right," said James.

With the Hockey India elections scheduled for November, the battle could soon reach another flashpoint.

For a team preparing for an Olympic cycle, however, the politics dominating the headlines is hardly ideal.

The players may be able to shut out the noise during a tournament. But sustained instability around the sport can eventually seep into the dressing room.THE WAY FORWARD

Now that the Asian Games are done and dusted, the focus will shift towards Los Angeles.

And for the Indian men's team, that means more than simply preparing to defend their Olympic bronze.

There needs to be a serious rethink of the team's goals, its structure and eventually its personnel.

Many of the current players are entering their fourth or fifth Olympic cycle. The fitness levels of experienced players such as Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh and Amit Rohidas have remained impressive, but the time may have come to bring in fresh blood.

"I hope they infuse new blood. Those who are being replaced should make way for good players, youngsters. Right now, most of the players in the team have got 100 caps or more. Now is the time to bring new people in," said James. File photo of Amit Rohidas. (Courtesy: Reuters)

But rebuilding the squad will only solve part of the problem.

India also need to test themselves against better opposition more regularly.

At the World Cup, India failed to beat any team ranked above them in the FIH rankings. Now, once again, they will compete in an Asian competition in the form of the Asian Champions Trophy, which is unlikely to provide the kind of examination they need.

"Play better teams. Right now we have to focus on better teams, playing with them. You can send your teams to Europe and play against them, or you can invite them," said James.

"So when you play with better teams you automatically get better, and when you include blood into the team, they'll get exposure. They'll gel with those who are experienced, and they will play better."

Because despite all the concerns, India did what was expected of them in Nagoya. They went unbeaten, won gold and secured their place at the Los Angeles Olympics.

In the end, James was clear: a winner is a winner.

"A winner is a winner, and the very fact they qualified for the LA, it's a big thing because qualification itself is a cumbersome job. So, a win is a win," said James.

And perhaps that is the most important thing to remember.

The Asian Games gold medal is not a failure because it did not feel dramatic enough. It is not diminished because India were expected to win it.

But if the celebrations felt muted, maybe that is because the real test is still to come.

Los Angeles is the destination. The Asian Games were merely another checkpoint.

Before India get there, they need to rediscover what made this team exciting in the first place. They need better opposition, fresh faces, sharper defending and a clearer sense of purpose.

Most importantly, they need to bring back the feeling that every victory matters.

Because a gold medal this important should never be left in the shadows.- Ends