Keep India above all: 1975 heroes urge men's team to end World Cup medal drought

Ashok Kumar produced the decisive moment, scoring in the 51st minute to seal a historic victory. I would say to the Indian team: keep in mind that victory or defeat will not be yours, but your country's.

The upcoming World Cup will be staged in the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30, giving India another opportunity to chase a medal that has eluded the team for more than five decades. He feels the players must carry the same patriotic.

What Happened

Aslam had played a crucial role in the semi-final against Malaysia, scoring the equaliser that helped India reach the final. When we entered the World Cup, our country was like our mother, and we played with that same passion.

• India's only men's World Cup triumph came in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur, where they edged Pakistan 2-1 in the final.

• The 1975 champion believes the current squad needs to approach the tournament with an unwavering determination to win for India rather than focusing on personal achievements.

• Aslam Sher Khan, another member of the 1975 title-winning side, echoed that sentiment.

Key Details

Both former stars have experienced the frustration of falling short before finally reaching the summit. Those near misses, rather than diminishing their ambition, strengthened their determination to eventually win the title.

• Ashok and Aslam were part of India's teams that claimed bronze at the 1971 World Cup and silver two years later in 1973.

• When we lost the semi-final in 1971, coach Balbir Singh Sr cried so much that it was difficult to calm him down.

• When we won silver in 1973, there was huge disappointment of missing out on gold.

Why It Matters

I even wondered how I would show these medals to my father and uncle. Aslam also believes the present-day squad needs to recognise that Olympic hockey and World Cup hockey present different challenges.

• That hunger was evident in the preparations for the 1975 tournament, with the team camp in Chandigarh developing a particularly intense atmosphere as the players sought to turn previous disappointments into motivation.

• India's recent Olympic success has been significant, with the Harmanpreet-led side securing bronze at both the Tokyo Games in 2021 and Paris in 2024.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge