The blue jersey was supposed to be back. That was the deal. Dilip Tirkey, the Hockey India president, had stood at the send-off ceremony and told the media the teams would wear their traditional blue primary kit for the Asian Games, with white as the backup. It was a clear message, a nod to the 1928 Olympic heritage that had defined Indian hockey for nearly a century. Then, on Sunday in Kazan, the pitch told a different story. Both the men's and women's squads laced up in saffron for their openers against Indonesia and Uzbekistan. The blue? Gone. At least for now.
It’s not just a fashion choice; it’s a power move. This is the second time in a month that the teams have defied the federation’s stated preference, having also worn saffron during the World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands. The visual shift has ignited a war inside Hockey India’s boardroom. Tirkey, who claims the change was made without the Executive Board's approval, is now locked in a public standoff with secretary Bhola Nath Singh. Singh, seen as the architect behind the kit switch, has effectively outmaneuvered the president on the field, even if the paperwork says otherwise.
The official explanation? Visibility. Blue jerseys against blue turf were supposedly creating confusion for players and fans alike. It’s a practical argument, but it rings hollow when the federation’s own president is publicly questioning the legitimacy of the decision. A Hockey India source, speaking to PTI, brushed off Tirkey’s confusion. "The two colours... were always saffron and the combination of white and sky blue, which was approved by the HI president himself," the source said. The jab was sharp: if the president approved the saffron option, why claim now that the teams shouldn't be wearing it? "As to why the president then said that India will wear all-blue... is something you need to ask the president himself," the source added, leaving Tirkey’s credibility dangling.
For the fans, the optics are messy. Indian hockey has been synonymous with blue since the 1928 Olympics. Breaking that streak is one thing; doing it amid such blatant internal discord is another. The secondary kits, according to the same source, will be a mix of white and sky blue, not the all-blue Tirkey promised. The message is clear: the board is unified on the pitch, even if they aren’t in the meeting room. The games are just getting started, and the jersey war is far from over.