India, July 17 -- Former skipper PR Sreejesh said that the eighth-place finish and seven straight losses at the Pro League was an important wake-up call for the Indian men's hockey team, who missed qualifying for the 2026 World Cup via the elite nine-nation tournament.

"The players performed well and created a lot of opportunities. They put up a good fight on the field but sometimes results go against us. That's what happened. Unfortunately, the results were not favourable but the preparation was perfect," said the double Olympic bronze medallist at the launch of the 20th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon that will be run on October 12.

"The coaches have put in enough time to prepare the team for the Asia Cup which we are hosti...