The Indian men’s hockey team lost the four-match friendly series against Australia, which ran from August 15 to 21, by a 3-1 margin. All the matches were played at the Perth Hockey Stadium.
India began their campaign with a 4-1 loss on August 15 and went down by a 3-0 scoreline in the second rubber on the next day.
However, the Indian hockey team bounced back in the third game and snapped the losing streak with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Kookaburras.
The final match of the series on Thursday saw India trail 1-0 at half-time before conceding the contest 3-2.
India are currently seventh in the hockey rankings while the Australian men’s hockey team is world No. 5.
A tour Down Under was part of India’s final preparations for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 29 to September 7.
The continental championship also doubles up as a qualifier for the Hockey World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium next year.
The Asia Cup winner will get a direct spot in next year’s global showcase while the teams ranking second to sixth will earn a spot in the 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers to be played in February-March next year.