NEW DELHI, Aug. 26 -- The wait for a World Cup medal rolls on, extending the grim reality check for Indian hockey. Despite heading into the quadrennial showpiece with some confidence, India's campaign collapsed under the weight of defensive frailties and tactical predictability. While routine victories over lower-ranked Wales and Pakistan provided a false sense of momentum, India were comprehensively dismantled by the three elite teams they faced: the Netherlands (3-1), England (4-2), and Argentina. The final nail in the coffin, a 5-3 defeat to Argentina, encapsulated everything that went wrong. It wasn't a case of India being outclassed by dazzling, unplayable hockey; rather, the downfall was self-inflicted... born out of defensive disarra...