Following the conclusion of the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 in Jhansi Indian Menrsquos Hockey Team Chief Coach Craig Fulton expressed optimism about the depth and quality of talent on display as the team begins preparations for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. Fulton who closely monitored the competition highlighted the competitiveness of the matches when top teams faced each other. ldquoWhen we put strength on strength the games were very very closerdquo he noted. ldquoTherersquos good depthmdashparticularly in goalkeeping and across the boardmdashwhich was great to see. It was also encouraging to spot players who havenrsquot featured in the league before.rdquo Commenting on regional performances Fulton observed that while winners Punjab stood out with a strong representation of international players the top four teams overall demonstrated good balance and quality. ldquoSome regions were definitely stronger than others. Punjab for instance stood out with the highest number of international players which gave them an edge. At the same time there was a healthy balance of talent across the top four teams. Beyond that however the depth and overall quality did dip a bit.rdquo With a new core group being formed for the Asia Cup cycle Fulton emphasised that the primary focus is not on age but on finding the right players for specific roles. ldquoItrsquos not about bringing in more youthmdashitrsquos about identifying the right players for the right positionsrdquo he said. A training camp with 54 probables is scheduled soon from which a core group of 40 players will be selected. ldquoWersquove been speaking about creating depth for a while now. The next 18 months are crucial in building a squad with sufficient bench strengthrdquo Fulton explained. The coach also shed light on his scouting criteria. ldquoWe looked at individuals of course but also how they operated within their teamrsquos tactical framework. The biggest attribute we assessed was defensemdashboth one-on-one and group defense.rdquo Must ReadTransgender cricketer Anaya Bangar opens up about post-transition struggles When asked about positional gaps Fulton acknowledged a need for improvement in scoring field goals and handling various tactical scenarios. ldquoWe want players who can move the ball effectively against both man-to-man and zonal defenses press intelligently and outlet under pressurerdquo he stated. Physicality and game intelligence were identified as non-negotiables. ldquoVersatility isnrsquot the main focusmdashitrsquos more about athleticism game awareness and the ability to quickly adapt to new tacticsrdquo Fulton remarked. With PR Sreejesh being the only retirement post the Paris Olympics Fulton confirmed that the core group will remain largely intact with the focus now on adding strategic depth to sustain performance through the Asia Cup and beyond.