Just before India’s opening game of the Asia Cup, during one of the training sessions at the Rajgir Sports Complex, coach Craig Fulton was very animated while deciding the structure, meticulously instructing players on the D-top in short-corner drills. The 50-year-old South African has brought that workhorse-like attitude to the set-up ever since his appointment in March 2023. And it has yielded results for the team, while adding more bullet points to his impressive CV. The latest in that list of achievements is winning the Asia Cup, which ensured Fulton will be at his first World Cup as India 
coach next year.

‘We got stronger’

“A good tournament for us; seven games in 10 days is no easy feat,” said Fulton after India beat South Korea 4-1 in the final on Sunday to win their fourth Asia Cup title. “I think physically we did really, really well. Even though [the first] two games we didn’t finish as strong as we would have liked, but as we acclimatised, we got stronger and stronger; and last night [beating Malaysia 4-1] and tonight showed what we can do.”