India's coach Fulton expresses disappointment over team's early exit from the tournament.

India's men's hockey team faced a disappointing exit from the World Cup after suffering a 5-3 defeat to Argentina on Monday. Head coach Craig Fulton attributed the loss to a poor start, where early mistakes allowed Argentina to take control of the match. The team struggled to recover, ultimately leading to their elimination from the tournament.

Fulton expressed his disappointment in the team's performance, stating, “I think the outcome was bigger than the performance. So I think that got the better of us. If we had just gone back to our normal approach, which I was hoping we would, it would have been different. I take full responsibility for that.” He noted that Argentina capitalized on India's errors, particularly in the opening minutes, which set a challenging tone for the rest of the game. Despite a late surge in the final minutes, where India nearly scored multiple goals, it was too late to change the outcome.

Defender Yashdeep Siwach was involved in critical mistakes that led to Argentina's goals, including a penalty corner converted by Nicolas Della Torre and a penalty stroke scored by Tomas Domene. When questioned about Siwach's performance under pressure, Fulton emphasized that the entire team struggled, rather than singling out one player. “I think everyone didn’t have a good day today. Not just one player. I think it happens and it happened to us in this game,” he remarked, reflecting on the team's overall performance.

Fulton also pointed to previous matches, particularly against England, as pivotal moments that contributed to their current situation. “Had we held out and tried to get a result in that game, it would have changed everything further down,” he explained. The coach confirmed that defender Jugraj Singh's absence from the second round was part of a rotation strategy, aimed at preparing the team for upcoming competitions, including the Asian Games.

With a record of 10 losses in 21 matches this year and 45 goals conceded, Fulton remains hopeful about the team's future. “Yes, that’s the plan. We’re still playing for our ranking. We’ve got one more game. So I’m looking forward to it,” he stated, as India prepares to face Belgium in a match for seventh place. The coach's optimism reflects a commitment to improving the team's performance moving forward.