India men’s hockey team made of ’18 or 20 Virat Kohlis’, ‘5 leagues above’ MS Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup winners, says Paddy Upton

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Upton says only Virat Kohli can compare to the levels of fitness that can be seen among the hockey players. (Photo Credit: Express photo/FIH)

The Indian men’s hockey team are looking to get out of the funk they found themselvs in for a better part of the past year and a half by winning the Asia Cup. India came into the tournament after a forgettable campaign in the European leg of the Pro League, where they lost a record seven matches in a row. It is amid this trend that Paddy Upton was brought back as the team’s mental conditioning coach, with the team now starting their buildup to the 2026 World Cup. They could qualify for the tournament if they win the Asia Cup.

The South African, who was famously part of the backroom staff of the Indian men’s cricket team when they won the 2011 World Cup, had previously been part of the hockey setup going into the 2024 Paris Olympics. Upton says that the dedication of the players in the team cannot be questioned, even saying that he puts them well above the team that MS Dhoni led to the title in 2011 and saying only Virat Kohli can compare to the levels of fitness that can be seen among the hockey players.

“If I compare the dedication to sleeping, eating, training of this team to my time in Indian cricket, these guys are another five leagues above that Indian cricket team. Virat, at his level of fitness and dedication, is unique in world cricket but here each player is as good as him. This is a team of 18 or 20 Virat Kohlis when it comes to that level of physicality,” Upton is quoted as saying by Mid-Day.

India face South Korea in first Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s match

India were more shaky than they would’ve liked in the group stage with hard-fought wins against China and Japan before blowing Kazakhstan out of the park in their final pool game. India had confirmed a spot in the Super 4s with the victories in the first two matches and so while the game against Kazakhstan was a mere formality, they would take confidence from the fact that the 15-0 win did justification to why India are considered runaway favourites in this tournament.

India may be ranked significantly higher than South Korea but incredibly, it is the latter who are the record winners of the tournament, having even won the last edition of it. They even managed to hold India to a draw in the Super 4s of the 2022 tournament, a result that confirmed India’s failure to make it to the final. However, the Koreans have looked far from their best so far this year. They were favourites to top their pool but got a rude shock when Malaysia defeated them 4-1. South Korea have struggled in the sweltering heat and high humidity here during afternoon matches, but with the Super 4s games starting in the evening, one can expect them to lift their game after the rest day on Tuesday.

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