"Will We See Argentina Wearing Orange?" Ex-India Captain's Fresh Post As Hockey Jersey Row Turns Political
Former India captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha faced backlash on social media after questioning Hockey India's decision to change the colour of the men's and women's team jerseys
- Former India captain Viren Rasquinha criticized Hockey India's switch from blue to orange jerseys
- Hockey India unveiled new orange jerseys for men's and women's teams for the FIH Hockey World Cup
- "Will we ever see Argentina wearing orange and white stripes as their first jersey?" asked Viren Rasquinha
Former India captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha faced backlash on social media after questioning Hockey India's decision to change the colour of the men's and women's team jerseys for the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup. On July 27, Hockey India unveiled the new jerseys for both teams, revealing a shift from the traditional blue to orange. The change sparked controversy, with many fans and former players left puzzled by the federation's decision. Rasquinha also demanded an explanation of shifting from the iconic blue jersey.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Rasquinha wrote, "I must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done many good things for India. But this is embarrassing. The legacy and identity of the Indian team have always been BLUE. I wore the blue jersey with pride for many years. Fans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic behind orange?"
As his remarks went viral, several users criticised Rasquinha in the comments section, accusing him of questioning Indian culture and national pride.
Responding to the criticism, the former captain wrote, "I'm seeing many unnecessary political comments on this. I don't want to get into any of that. My simple and humble point is about pride, identity, and legacy. India is to hockey what Argentina is to football. Will we ever see Argentina wearing orange and white stripes as their first jersey?"
I'm seeing many unnecessary political comments on this. I don't want to get into any of that. My simple & humble point is on pride, identity & legacy.
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 30, 2026
🇮🇳 is to 🏑 what Argentina is to Football. Will we ever see Argentina wearing Orange and White stripes as their 1st jersey? https://t.co/lAnu2gOR7y
Priyanka Gandhi also slams Hockey India
Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday criticised the change in the Indian hockey team's jersey from blue to saffron.
"Whether they change uniforms or try to rewrite history through education policy, no matter what they do... You have seen what the youth of our country think about this. You heard what the young people gathered at Jantar Mantar were saying. This is the voice of the nation," the Congress MP said.
Hockey India's statement
Unveiling the new jersey on its social media pages, Hockey India said the design and colour of the jersey is meant to "tell a story" and carry "India's pride" and was finalised after consultations with players and support staff.
"It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend/merge with the blue synthetic playing surface, which is now the standard colour of international hockey pitches. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players," Hockey India said in a statement after former captains like Viren Rasquinha questioned the logic behind the move.
"...the coaches and players suggested alternative colours such as yellow or saffron. After careful consideration, saffron was finalised.
The men's tournament is scheduled to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30, while the women's competition will take place from August 15 to 30.
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