India’s midfield maestros reveal how vision, communication and relentless preparation make them the heartbeat of the squad ~

New Delhi: With less than a month to go for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, both the Indian Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams are fine-tuning every aspect of their game as they prepare for the marquee tournament. While strikers often grab the headlines with goals, the midfield quietly dictates the game’s rhythm, links defence to attack and controls possession – leading to opportunities inside the circle.

For midfielder Manpreet Singh, who will be the most-capped player in this FIH World Cup, his role extends far beyond distributing the ball.

“As a midfielder, I believe my biggest responsibility is to connect the entire team. We (midfielders) are the link between defence and attack, so it’s important to maintain the team’s structure and rhythm throughout the game. Beyond passing and defending, I focus on creating space, supporting teammates, making quick decisions and ensuring we stay organised in every phase of play. A midfielder has to be involved in almost every moment of the game,” he shared.

The Indian Men’s Team will compete in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales in the first phase of the tournament.

Manpreet’s teammate Hardik Singh speaks along similar lines. He believes a midfielder’s influence goes far beyond technical ability, involving communication, awareness and game intelligence.

“Communication and awareness are extremely important for a midfielder because you need to keep the team balanced throughout the game. If you concede too many turnovers, you give the opposition more opportunities to take control. A midfielder has to understand when to join the attack, when to hold position and recognise the right moments to support the forwards. These qualities develop with time and experience, and the better your awareness and communication, the more effective you become in helping the team,” Hardik explained.

It will be the first FIH World Cup to simultaneously host both the men’s and women’s editions at the same venues. And trying to ride on the momentum of the FIH Nations Cup triumph, the Indian Women’s Team will face China, South Africa and England in the pool stage.

Neha explained that midfielders spend considerable time training alongside defenders as well as forwards to perfect this understanding.

“We need to build chemistry with both defenders and forwards. We regularly analyse video clips and during training we focus a lot on eye contact, body position and pre-scanning before receiving the ball because these small details help us make better decisions during matches. During pressing, we need to know where to force the opposition and when we have possession, pre-scanning helps us keep the game flowing. These are aspects we continuously train ourselves in,” said Neha.

For the Indian Men’s Team midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad, one of the toughest decisions in the midfield is knowing when to release the ball and when to carry it.

“When I receive the ball, I first assess the situation before deciding my next move. I believe the ball always travels faster than the player. So whenever possible, I prefer quick passing combinations to move the play forward. At the same time, it’s important to recognise when to carry the ball. In the attacking half, I am more willing to take risks but in our own half, if I’m under pressure, I focus on protecting possession, earning a foul if needed and helping the team restart play,” Vivek said.

Midfielder Sakshi Rana says composure is the defining quality when operating under pressure. “When I receive the ball under pressure, my first thought is to stay calm. I try to scan the field before receiving the ball, so I already know where my teammates and opponents are. That helps me make quick decisions, whether it’s passing, carrying the ball forward or switching the play,” Sakshi said.

Whether it is controlling possession, scanning before receiving and distributing the ball or directing teammates through constant communication, all within seconds, midfielders perform a demanding role in modern hockey. Their work may not appear on the scoresheet, but it forms the foundation of every attacking move and every defensive transition.