# Why has India's hockey jersey turned saffron?

An episode of [In Focus by The Hindu](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1494440867), 6 Aug 2026, 24 min.

Audio: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/THGU9312664358.mp3

For decades, blue has been synonymous with Indian sport. So why has Hockey India decided to replace it with saffron as the primary colour of the men's national team's jersey ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup? The move has sparked criticism from former players, administrators, fans and politicians, raising questions that go far beyond the design of a kit. In this episode of In Focus, we look at how the decision was made, whether the federation followed due process, if players and support staff were genuinely consulted, and whether Hockey India's technical explanation for the change stands up to scrutiny. Guest: Uthra Ganesan, The Hindu's hockey correspondent Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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