Bengaluru, Aug. 1 -- Indian hockey player Manpreet Singh defended the team's new jersey, saying the decision to wear the saffron/orange kit was taken collectively by the players and team management, not due to any external influence.

He explained that the change was made to avoid a visual clash with the blue turf and blue socks, while adding that the colour, being part of the national flag, was seen as a source of motivation for the team.

"...If you look back, we wore yellow jerseys during the 2014 World Cup and also at the Commonwealth Games. It wasn't a huge issue; the team management and all the players made a collective decision. Whatever political narrative might be circulating is a separate matter, but the decision didn't come fro...