From the first pushback of this tournament to the last hit, there wasn't ever really a doubt. Even when frustration set in with China's defence standing strong for 50 odd minutes in the final, there was a sense that this Indian team was too good to contain for a full 60 minutes. And they were: even if the goals came from usual suspects doing unusual things, with centre-back pair and dragflick specialists Harmanpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh combining for the latter to score the goal that won them the Asian Champions Trophy title for the fifth time.
Overall, the Olympic bronze medallists were the deserving winners - they were the only team to win all seven matches they played, they conceded the least number of goals, and they scored the most. It was a dominating performance by Harmanpreet's team that underlined their no. 1 status in Asia.
So, what did we learn from this Asian Champions Trophy triumph?
India's youngsters make a mark
The Indian squad that went to China's Hulunbuir had many big players who were involved in the bronze medal winning campaign at the Olympics but the good news for Indian fans is those who didn't go to Paris were able make their mark at the Asian Champions Trophy. Three names stand out -- Uttam Singh, the former U-21 national team captain, striker Araijeet Singh Hundal and midfielder Mohammed Raheel.
All three attackers have consistently performed well and showed they belong at this level. Araijeet was unfortunate to miss out on the Olympics but he has been playing for India for quite some time now while Raheel was also part of the senior team setup for more than two years. Now Uttam got his chance to prove himself and he has more than done his bit.
A couple of terrific young attackers stepped up for India at the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 �� pic.twitter.com/apQu6Z9dyS
- ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) September 17, 2024
Uttam scored four goals in seven matches, second best after Harmanpreet's seven for India while Araijeet has three goals to his name. What shows them in very good light is that they outscored the likes of Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh who were in scoring touch before and during the Paris Olympics. Uttam's dynamism in the striking circle - his creativity, positioning and finishing skills were on display over the course of seven matches. Sure, the quality of opposition might not be world class, but that's not in his control. When the opportunity was given to Uttam, he took it and played an important role in India winning the title.
Similarly, Raheel also impressed with his tenacity and work rate. He's a creative player in the midfield, but under Fulton in this tournament, he pushed himself to improve the defensive side of his game and ran the hard yards when the team was out of possession.
Fulton will be pleased to see these names add to the attacking depth of the team.
Harmanpreet, India's best once again
The India captain delivered once again. Seven matches, seven goals from penalty corners -- second most in the tournament behind South Korea's Jihun Yang. By his high standards, finishing second best goalscorer in the tournament might feel a bit underwhelming but in terms of his tactical nous and how big a role he played in tough moments shows he's clearly India's best.
Harmanpreet failed to convert his penalty corner opportunities in India's first two matches, where the team scored eight times. With the pitch at the Moqi Training Base a touch slow to his liking, the dragflick expert made slight adjustments to his technique -- cutting down on the running before dragflicking the ball and instead focusing on getting the accuracy. Even if it meant cutting down a bit on the power, he found killer accuracy. And once he started scoring, there was no stopping as he breached the 200-career-goals mark in the tournament.
He scored twice in the 2-1 win over Pakistan, a match where Pakistan caused plenty of trouble with their intensity on the pitch. When India needed to be calm on the ball, especially in the final quarter to manage that match, Harmanpreet was instrumental in keeping control and seeing out the match. The captain bagged a brace in the semifinal against South Korea and provided the assist for Jugraj's goal in the final. He was not afraid to move up the pitch, dribbled past the defenders while entering the circle and played the right pass to the right player, which made the difference in the final.
How's the rest of Asia holding up?
There's a clear gulf in terms of quality between India and other Asian nations, already emphasised by the fact India were the only men's team from the continent to play at this year's Olympics. The 2024 Asian Champions Trophy didn't do much to change the status quo but both China and Pakistan deserve credit for their performances.
India continue their recent dominance of Asian hockey ���� pic.twitter.com/rnytckavUP
- ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) September 17, 2024
China, playing at home, made it to the final of the tournament despite having a young and inexperienced squad. They beat Pakistan in the semifinal and made India sweat for most parts in the final. Pakistan, who finished third, brought the fun factor to the tournament. Their intensity on the ball and the relentless attacks made it an entertaining watch.
Looking at Pakistan's performance -- which included just one loss (against India) in normal time -- it is clear that they have a team capable of playing an attacking brand of hockey. Shahid Hannan was outstanding with his dribbles and finishing -- scoring six times, which included five field goals. His combination play with Ashraf Rana was breathtaking at times, a throwback to best of India and Pakistan players when the two teams were dominating world hockey. Sufiyan Khan also proved to be effective with dragflicks while Ahmad Nadeem was clinical with six field goals. With good coaching and support, this bunch of players can take Pakistan to the next level.
What's next for India?
India head coach Craig Fulton had earlier spoken to this writer about giving more opportunities to a new set of players -- broadening the depth with focus on developing an India 'A' group.
After the conclusion of the tournament, he reiterated the same. "There's another camp in 10 days' time, another 20 players will come for that and (hopefully) we get our tour to the Netherlands and Belgium with a kind of U-25 squad. So, looking forward to putting that team together," he said. He also said 'there are a few tired guys who need a break' which could mean that most of the players from the current squad will not be in action anytime soon.