‘No Politics In It’: Harmanpreet Singh, Dilip Tirkey Defend Indian Hockey Team’s New Saffron Jersey Amid ‘Saffronisation’ Row

New Delhi, July 30: India men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey have strongly defended the decision to make saffron the primary jersey colour for the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup, rejecting allegations of political motives and insisting the move was based purely on technical considerations and player feedback.

The clarification comes after former India captains Dhanraj Pillay and Pargat Singh criticised Hockey India’s decision to move away from the iconic blue jersey, with Pargat alleging that “everything in the country is being saffronised” and questioning the rationale behind the change.

Harmanpreet: ‘There Is No Politics In It’

Addressing the controversy, Harmanpreet made it clear that the decision had nothing to do with politics and was taken keeping only the team’s performance in mind.

“There is no politics in it. It was the team’s decision. We are focussing on our sport. We are analysing things day by day and step by step. We even played on the turf with this new jersey, and could spot the difference,” the India captain was quoted by Revsportz.

Harmanpreet explained that the players had already tested the new saffron jersey during training sessions and noticed improved visibility on blue artificial turf compared to the traditional blue kit.

His comments echoed Hockey India’s consistent position that the colour change was introduced to help players identify teammates more easily during fast-paced matches.

Tirkey Explains Why Saffron Was Chosen

Backing the captain’s remarks, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said the decision was made after consultations with players, coaches and support staff.

According to Tirkey, the blue jersey posed visibility challenges on modern blue turfs, prompting the federation to explore alternative colours.

“A new saffron jersey has been launched for the World Cup. The colour was chosen at the request of the support staff and players. Technically, when the team plays on a blue turf, the blue jersey, which Team India has worn for many years, creates visibility-related issues,” Tirkey – who has represented India in 412 games – said.

He revealed that saffron and yellow were shortlisted before the players and coaching staff made the final choice.

“That is why two colours, saffron and yellow, were shortlisted. The players and coaches chose saffron,” he added.

Tirkey also pointed out that India has worn different coloured jerseys in previous tournaments, dismissing suggestions that the current decision was unprecedented.

“The team’s jersey colour has been changed in several tournaments in the past as well. In 2014, the team played in yellow jerseys, while in 2018, it played in sky blue jerseys,” he said.

While addressing the media, Tirkey also expressed confidence ahead of the World Cup.

“Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams will play in the Hockey World Cup from August 15. I hope both teams perform very well, especially the women’s team, as they played exceptionally well in the World Cup qualifiers and the FIH Nations Cup, which has boosted their confidence,” he said.

Former Captains Question the Decision

The jersey change has, however, divided opinion within the Indian hockey fraternity. Legendary forward Dhanraj Pillay argued that the blue jersey has been synonymous with Indian hockey for decades and questioned why Hockey India felt the need to abandon a tradition associated with generations of champions.

“The blue jersey has become the identity of Indian hockey,” Dhanraj said, recalling that legends such as Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh Sr., Mohammad Shahid, Zafar Iqbal and the 1980 Olympic gold medal-winning team all represented India in blue.

He also dismissed the visibility argument, saying India has competed on blue turfs for several years without any noticeable issues.

Former captain and current Punjab Congress MLA Pargat Singh was more critical, alleging that the move reflected a broader trend of “saffronisation” and warning against politics entering sport.

Pargat also rejected Hockey India’s explanation that the change was based on technical feedback, arguing that players and coaches do not typically recommend changes to national team colours and maintaining that the blue jersey has always been an integral part of India’s hockey identity.

Focus Shifts to World Cup

Despite the off-field debate, both Hockey India and the players have sought to shift attention back to the field, where India will be aiming for a strong showing at the FIH Hockey World Cup.

The Indian men’s and women’s teams will debut the new saffron jerseys when the tournament gets underway on August 15 in the Netherlands and Belgium, with Hockey India hoping the discussion soon moves from the colour of the jersey to the performances on the pitch.