The Indian hockey team was one of the best hockey teams in the world for over five decades from 1930 to 1980. Throughout the years, there have been hockey players who represented India at big stages and turned out to be among the best hockey players.
With eight Olympics gold medals from 1928 to 1980, Indian hockey team has seen its golden years. There have been several legendary players who will come first every time there will be a debate about Indian hockey in the upcoming years. Here are the five best Indian hockey players of all time.
Best Indian Hockey Players
5. Udham Singh
Udham Singh was a part of three gold medals and one silver medal campaign for the Indian hockey team in the Olympics. He is known to be one of the finest hockey players to ever play for India. With his fitness and consistency, Udham was a pivotal player of the team that dominated in the decade of 1950s.
4. Balbir Singh Sr.
Balbir Singh Sr. turned out to be the next superstar of Indian hockey post-independence. He was an aggressive player on field who had a capability to win the matches for India single-handedly and played a crucial part in India’s three consecutive gold medal campaigns in the Olympics from 1948 to 1956. After his career as a player, Balbir Singh served as a head coach of the Indian team that won the 1975 Hockey World Cup.
3. Mohammad Shahid
Mohammad Shahid was one of the most skillful players ever to play for the Indian hockey team. He was a part of India’s gold medal campaign at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. For his immense contribution to the Indian hockey, Shahid was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1980–1981 and Padma Shri in 1986.
2. Dhanraj Pillay
One of the best hockey players for India in recent times, Dhanraj Pillay was known for his attacking skills and good forward play. He has also served as the captain of the Indian hockey team and led India to win a gold medal in the 1998 Asian Games and 2003 Asian Cup. Pillay was honoured with Arjuna Award in 1995.
1. Dhyan Chand
Dhyan Chand will be remembered as the best-ever hockey player of all time to play for India. With more than 400 international goals, Dhyan Chand was monumental in Indian hockey's domination in the decade of 1930s and 1940s. He played a crucial role in India’s Olympic gold medal hat-trick from 1928 to 1936. The highest sporting honour in India has now been named after him as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
