Indian hockey jersey: Captain Harmanpreet doubles down on change to saffron colour

India captain Harmanpreet Singh and former goalkeeper PR Sreejesh backed Hockey India's new saffron jersey despite criticism from former players. The federation maintained the colour change was made to improve visibility on blue hockey turfs.Hockey India switched primary jersey colour from blue to saffron for Asian Games 2026. (Screenshot)India captain Harmanpreet Singh and former goalkeeper PR Sreejesh have thrown their weight behind Hockey India's decision to introduce a saffron jersey ahead of the 2026 Asian Games, despite criticism from former players and fans. The colour change has sparked a debate over whether India should move away from its iconic blue kit, which has long been associated with the national hockey team.The controversy erupted after Hockey India unveiled the new jersey earlier this week, replacing the traditional blue with saffron as the team's primary playing colour. Speaking during a media interaction on Thursday, Harmanpreet said the players were comfortable with the new kit, while Sreejesh urged people to respect the federation's decision if it was made in consultation with the squad."We just played a training match with the orange jersey. I think the new jersey looks good," Harmanpreet said, dismissing the criticism surrounding the change.Sreejesh, meanwhile, acknowledged that he never faced visibility issues during his playing career but felt player feedback should remain central to such decisions. "We played in different colours in 2014, but there were no issues then. It all depends on the choice of the federation and the players," the former India goalkeeper said.The jersey change drew sharp reactions from several former internationals after Hockey India announced the switch. Ex-India captain Viren Rasquinha called the move "embarrassing", questioning why the team had abandoned blue, while Ajit Pal Singh also wondered why a successful colour identity needed to be changed. In response, Hockey India clarified that the decision was driven by technical requirements rather than aesthetics or symbolism.VISIBILITY BEHIND THE CHANGE Explaining the move, Hockey India said the blue jersey often blended with the blue artificial turf now used in international hockey, making it harder for players to spot teammates during matches."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," Hockey India said in a statement."It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend with the blue synthetic playing surface. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players."The federation added that saffron was chosen after discussions over multiple colour options and also because it represents courage, sacrifice and national pride as one of the colours of the Indian national flag.FORMER PLAYERS DIVIDEDWhile some former players criticised the move, others felt the change was understandable from a playing perspective.Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Lalit Upadhyay admitted that there were occasions when the blue jersey merged with the colour of the turf, even though players had never actively demanded a change.Former defender VR Raghunath also backed the decision, saying the darker shade of modern hockey turfs could make it difficult to distinguish teammates in split-second situations. He added that any marginal advantage would naturally be welcomed by players and insisted the focus should now shift to India's preparations for the Asian Games.The men's and women's teams are expected to wear the new saffron kit during the Asian Games, where India will aim to defend its continental title and secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With Hockey India maintaining that the decision was based on performance rather than sentiment, the debate is now likely to shift from the jersey itself to how India performs while wearing- EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Jul 31, 2026 10:05 IST