NEW DELHI: Former Indian hockey captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha has criticized Hockey India’s decision to replace the team’s traditional blue jersey with a saffron one ahead of the 2026 Hockey World Cup. Expressing his disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “I must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done a lot of good things for (hockey emotes). But this is embarrassing. The legacy and identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE. I have worn the blue jersey with pride for many years. Fans want to see our Indian team in orange blue. Hockey India has unveiled new kits for the men’s and women’s teams ahead of the 2026 Hockey World Cup, with saffron replacing blue as the main colour.
Viren Rasquinha criticized Hockey India’s decision to replace the team’s iconic blue jersey with saffron.
The jersey also features mandala-inspired designs, tricolor details and blue accents. Explaining the change, Hockey India said, “It symbolizes courage, sacrifice and victory. Inspired by the Indian national flag and the rising sun, it reflects new beginnings.”
India is about to start the World Cup campaign
The 2026 World Cup of Hockey will be held in the Netherlands and Belgium from August 14 to 30, with the men’s and women’s tournaments taking place together for the first time. The Indian men’s team, placed in Group D, will face Wales, England and Pakistan in the group stage. The women’s team, also in Group D, will start against China before taking on South Africa and England. Indian men have won the Hockey World Cup once, in 1975, while the women’s best finish was fourth place in 1974.
