The Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team’s campaign at the 2025 Sultan of Johor Cup hit a stumbling block on Wednesday as they suffered a 2–4 defeat to Australia in their fourth pool-stage fixture at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium.
Despite a spirited start and moments of individual brilliance, India were undone by a ruthless Australian third-quarter blitz.
Captain Rohit (22’) and forward Arshdeep Singh (60’) found the target for India, while the Aussies struck through Oscar Sproule (39’, 42’), Andrew Patrick (40’), and skipper Dylan Downey (51’).
A Bright Start from the Blue Colts
Coming off a string of competitive performances in the tournament, India began the match with attacking intent. The opening quarter saw the Blue Colts dominate possession, stringing together crisp passes and pressing aggressively in the midfield. Skipper Rohit marshalled the side with composure while the backline, led by goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh, stood firm against early Australian incursions.
Australia earned their first real opening in the 9th minute, but Prince Deep’s quick reflexes denied a close-range shot, ensuring parity at the end of the first quarter. India’s structure and pressing looked sharp, forcing turnovers and keeping the Australian forwards under constant pressure.
The second quarter began with India growing in confidence and pushing numbers forward. The team earned its first penalty corner in the 17th minute, only for Anmol Ekka’s drag flick to sail narrowly over the crossbar. The close miss didn’t deter them for long. Just five minutes later, in the 22nd minute, India won another penalty corner and this time, their execution was flawless.
Captain Rohit, already among the top scorers for India in the tournament, stepped up and drilled a low strike past the Australian goalkeeper, giving India a deserved 1–0 lead. The goal reflected India’s superior control and poise in the first half, as their structure kept Australia chasing shadows.
There could have been more. In the 25th minute, Amir Ali nearly doubled the lead with a dazzling solo run down the left flank, weaving past two defenders before unleashing a reverse hit that was parried away. India ended the first half ahead, controlling both tempo and territory and appeared well on course for a statement win.
Australia Hit Back in a Devastating Third Quarter
The third quarter, however, flipped the narrative entirely. Australia returned from halftime re-energised and clinically dismantled India’s rhythm with three goals in the space of four minutes.
It began in the 39th minute, when Australia’s right-wing combination play found Oscar Sproule unmarked at the far post. The forward tapped in to level the scores at 1–1. Barely a minute later, the momentum swung further as a deflection off India’s first rusher during a penalty corner looped into the path of Andrew Patrick (40’), who smashed home to give Australia the lead.
The Blue Colts, visibly rattled, conceded again in the 42nd minute. Sproule struck once more —lthis time with a thunderous backhand from the top of the circle that gave the goalkeeper no chance. In less than 180 seconds, Australia had turned a 0–1 deficit into a commanding 3–1 advantage.
The rest of the quarter saw India struggling to regain control. Their midfield link-up faltered under sustained Australian pressure, and the defensive transitions lacked the urgency seen earlier.
India tried to regroup in the fourth quarter and push forward in search of goals. They earned another penalty corner in the 49th minute, but Rohit’s drag flick flew wide of the post. The missed opportunity proved costly as Australia capitalised almost immediately.
In the 51st minute, the Aussies won their fifth penalty corner of the match. This time, captain Dylan Downey stepped up and delivered his low, flicked effort finding its way past the Indian defence to make it 4–1.
Despite the deficit, India refused to give in. Their persistence was rewarded in the final minute when Arshdeep Singh showcased deft stickwork to deflect a cross into the net, reducing the margin to 2–4. The goal was symbolic of India’s never-say-die attitude, but by then, the contest had effectively been decided.
India’s defeat highlighted both promise and vulnerability. Their control in the first half demonstrated tactical maturity, but lapses in defensive organisation during Australia’s high-tempo third quarter proved fatal. The Blue Colts conceded all four goals from open play and penalty corners, underlining the need for sharper reactions during transitions and tighter marking in the circle.
The coaching staff will also take note of the penalty corner conversion rate just one successful strike from three attempts compared to Australia’s clinical two from five. Captain Rohit’s leadership and consistency continue to be positives, while players like Arshdeep Singh and Prince Deep showed potential in key moments.
The result leaves India with work to do in their final pool-stage match. The team will next face hosts Malaysia on October 17 at 4:05 PM IST, a fixture that will determine their placement heading into the classification rounds.
Despite the setback, the Sultan of Johor Cup campaign has offered valuable exposure to this young squad, many of whom are part of India’s long-term pathway to senior hockey. The balance between attacking flair and structural discipline remains a key focus as the team prepares for the challenges ahead.
Australia’s win, meanwhile, strengthens their push for a spot in the final, reaffirming their reputation as one of the most tactically cohesive and physically dominant sides in junior men’s hockey.
For India, the 2–4 loss is less a setback and more a lesson a reminder of how fine the margins can be at the elite junior level, and how quickly momentum can shift in modern hockey.
