Revamped Indian hockey team uniform draws criticism

New Delhi: Even as the Indian hockey teams hope to break their World Cup jinx next month, the sport finds itself embroiled in controversy over Hockey India’s decision to change the colours of the team kit.

The new jerseys unveiled are a bright orange that the federation terms ‘Saffron’ with designs and patterns drawn from Indian tradition in barely-visible tones. The marks a drastic move away from the traditional blue uniform for the Indian team. The decision drew backlash from fans and former players alike.

Former captain Viren Rasquinha was the first to question in a social media post. “…this is embarrassing. The legacy and identity of the Indian team has always been blue. I wore the blue jersey with pride for many years. Fans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?” he wrote.

Legendary Dhanraj Pillay too expressed disappointment. “Saffron is part of the national flag and I respect that but Indian hockey’s identity has always been blue. The national team has its unique identity that is different from franchise leagues. Personally, I have never had any issue with blue uniforms on blue turf,” he said.

The federation issued an official statement following the backlash. “The decision to change the uniform colour was based on support staff and players recommendations and detailed consultations with them. The primary consideration was technical. It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend/merge with the blue synthetic playing surface, which is now the standard colour of international hockey pitches. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players,” it said.