Mandeep Singh and three senior India players say they were kept in the dark over retirement talk ahead of Asian Champions Trophy

Four senior India hockey players — Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas and Nilakanta Sharma — said on Tuesday they were surprised by talk that they would be asked to retire during the Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab and that they had not been consulted.

The players expressed disappointment after learning of the development through the media and said they were keen to continue and had their eyes set on future assignments, including the 2028 Olympics. One player noted the timing felt especially poor coming just after the Asian Games success and related celebratory events.

"We found out through the media ourselves, they (HI) should have at least informed us before making such a major decision. After winning gold medal for the country (at the recent Asian Games), we deserve at least that much respect," one player told PTI. Another player said the unexpected reports dampened enthusiasm while they were preparing for felicitation ceremonies following the Asian Games gold-medal win.

"I have been receiving a barrage of calls asking if I had decided to retire. I was shocked because I had never said any such thing, we have been talking about preparing hard for the Los Angeles Olympics. So, how did this happen suddenly? I have reached at this stage after a lot of hard work and was performing well. I was optimistic about future after the Asian Games gold," he added.

"If my performance had been poor, I would have accepted this as the right decision, but that isn't the case. My parents are asking why I became upset after a phone call, but what can I tell them?" said the player.

"Everyone's career must come to an end some day, but no player wants it to happen this way. After winning Olympic and Asian Games medals, we should at least have the right to announce our own retirement. Doing that in this manner is humiliating," said another player. A further player said, "I was actually planning to retire before the Olympics, but I should have at least been kept in the loop. Selection is not in our hands, we can only strive to perform well, but retiring with dignity is the right of every player who has won medals for the country," the player said.

There has been speculation that Hockey India intended to revamp the men's team and give opportunities to new faces ahead of the 2028 Olympics. Transition was inevitable, but questions are also being raised about the criteria, given that few other senior players' performance was not up to the mark in the World Cup earlier this year and the Asian Games.

Hockey India sources had informed PTI that Mandeep Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas and Nilakanta Sharma would play their last matches for the country during the Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Punjab from October 27 to November 5.