India, July 30 -- For decades, the Indian national hockey team has taken the field in blue. That long-standing identity was upended after Hockey India revealed a new saffron-coloured kit for both the men's and women's teams ahead of next month's FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. The sudden shift from blue to 'kesariya' triggered immediate backlash and intense public debate.

Former men's team captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha led the outcry and questioned the logic behind ditching decades of sporting tradition. "I must say that Hockey India has done many good things for Indian hockey. But this is embarrassing. The legacy & identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE," Rasquinha stated. "I wore the Blue jersey with prid...