Manpreet Singh Ends Silence On 'Saffron' Jersey Row: 'The Color Is Part Of Our National Flag'
Manpreet Singh Ends Silence On 'Saffron' Jersey Row: 'The Color Is Part Of Our Flag' Published By, Last Updated: August 01, 2026, 11:56 IST Manpreet
Manpreet Singh Ends Silence On 'Saffron' Jersey Row: 'The Color Is Part Of Our Flag' Published By, Last Updated: August 01, 2026, 11:56 IST Manpreet Singh has defended Hockey India's decision to switch to orange jersey ahead of the world cup. Rapid Read Manpreet Singh has defended the switch to orange jersey. (ANI Photo) Manpreet Singh has defended Hockey India’s decision to move away from the traditional blue jersey and introduce a saffron/orange kit, saying the change was made after discussions within the team management and players. The Indian men’s hockey team midfielder cited how colour changes in the national hockey jersey have happened previously, pointing to the team’s use of yellow kits during the 2014 FIH World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. Manpreet claimed the latest decision was taken collectively by the team. “If you look back, we wore yellow jerseys during the 2014 World Cup and also at the Commonwealth Games.
It wasn’t a huge issue; the team management and all the players made a collective decision. Whatever political narrative might be circulating is a separate matter, but the decision didn’t come from the outside," Manpreet told news agency ANI. #WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka | On the new jersey controversy of the Indian Hockey Team, Indian Hockey player Manpreet Singh says, “…If you look back, we wore yellow jerseys during the 2014 World Cup and also at the Commonwealth Games. It wasn’t a huge issue; the team management… pic.twitter.com/XJdett3n4q— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2026 HI has stated that the switch from blue to saffron for the upcoming 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup was primarily driven by technical considerations. The governing body said the blue jersey has a visibility issue on modern blue synthetic turfs, making it difficult to clearly distinguish players during matches.
Manpreet echoed the reasoning. “Since the turf is blue and the socks are blue, it has an impact. So we wanted to avoid that kind of visual clash. That’s why we changed the colour," he said. Manpreet, a two-time Olympic medallist, added that orange is also part of the Indian national flag and can serve as a source of motivation for players. “Since the colour is a part of our national flag, the idea was that wearing saffron/orange would be good for us and provide motivation to perform even better," he concluded. The jersey change has sparked a red-hot debate, with some former players strongly protesting on social media and elsewhere. HI though has maintained that alternate jersey colours have been used in the past and that the latest design was introduced after discussions involving players and support staff.
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