The Indian men's hockey team has shown their capability to perform well under pressure situations by adopting a defensive strategy as advised by their head coach Craig Fulton. His philosophy of ‘defend to win' was on display when India pulled off an incredible comeback victory against Great Britain in the quarterfinals despite being a man down for most of the match.
Fulton has time and again emphasized the importance of having a strong foundation in place defensively as the first step towards creating attacking opportunities. While India's defense struggled with conceding goals earlier in tournaments, recent performances indicate their rearguard play is steadily improving.
The semifinal against Germany will present a tough challenge as they will look to avenge their bronze medal loss from the previous Olympics. In the absence of Amit Rohidas due to suspension, India will need to tweak their approach and ensure not many penalties are given away. Manpreet Singh will have to take up more defensive duties alongside overseeing the team's strategies.
India showed glimpses of dazzling attacking flairs against Australia but may need to take a more cautious route given the player shortage. Fulton has prepared the team to adapt depending on situations and playing with fewer numbers. If India can maintain discipline in their structures, there exists a possibility of progressing to the final.
