Rahul Dravid, Steve Waugh bring cricket royalty to India-Netherlands Hockey clash

Rahul Dravid and Steve Waugh added cricketing royalty to the Wagener Stadium as India faced the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. Dravid's long-standing love for hockey made his presence especially significant, but India lost 1-3 to the Dutch in Amstelveen.Rahul Dravid and Steve Waugh watched the India vs Netherlands clash. Courtesy: PTIA star-studded evening at the Wagener Stadium had a distinctly cricketing flavour as two of the game's most respected figures, Rahul Dravid and Steve Waugh, turned up to watch India take on the Netherlands in the second round of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026.Dravid's presence, in particular, carried a special significance. The former India captain is not merely a casual admirer of hockey. Long before he became one of cricket's most celebrated figures, Dravid played hockey at St Joseph's Boys' High School in Bengaluru. He was a midfielder and shared the school team with future India hockey players Anil Aldrin and Sandeep Somesh.India vs Netherlands, Hockey World Cup HighlightsIn July 2026, Dravid recalled those formative years and described hockey as one of his favourite sports, saying he "loved playing hockey" and praising India's incredible history, legacy and tradition in the sport. His affection for the sport has also been evident over the years. In January 2018, while coaching India's Under-19 cricket team at the World Cup in New Zealand, Dravid made time to watch the senior hockey team take on Japan in the Four Nations Invitational tournament in Tauranga. India won that match 6-0, and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh publicly thanked Dravid for coming across to support the hockey side.So, when Dravid took his place in the stands at the Wagener Stadium, it was another reminder that his connection with hockey runs deeper than a celebrity appearance.NETHERLANDS LEAVE INDIA'S SEMIS HOPES HANGING BY A THREAD The occasion, however, ended in disappointment for the Indian men's team. The Netherlands produced a clinical second-half performance to beat India 3-1, with Telgenkamp opening the scoring in the 41st minute before Hoedemaekers doubled the advantage six minutes later.Harmanpreet Singh briefly gave India hope with a penalty-corner goal in the 52nd minute, but Thijs van Dam restored the Netherlands' two-goal cushion three minutes later. The Dutch, defending champions, ultimately secured their place in the semifinals, while India's hopes of progressing took a major blow.For Dravid and Waugh, the evening offered a fascinating crossover between cricket and hockey. For India, though, it was a night that left far more questions than answers as the World Cup campaign entered a decisive phase.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Aug 22, 2026 21:30 IST