How the Indian Oil Men’s Hockey Team Have Been Embracing ‘Consistency’

The Indian Oil men’s hockey team have emerged as the one of the ‘consistent’ teams around in the Indian domestic circuit – replete with some ageing and some not so ageing but fully fit former internationals, the oilmen have indeed carved out a strong reputation for ‘pressing the ‘consistent hockey button.

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Boasting of names such as Vokkaliga Raghunath, Gurjinder Singh in the deep defence, SK Uthappa, Kothajit Singh in the midfield, Talwinder Singh, Affan Yousuf, and Roshan Minz in the forwardline, the oilmen command a lot of respect among the opposition ranks.

The 41st edition of Surjit Hockey Tournament was one where they reinforced their credentials retaining the crown, outplaying Bharat Petroleum 3-0 in the summit clash at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jallandhar. They were super-clinical in the semifinal drubbing 11 times champions Punjab and Sind Bank 8-1 – a scoreline you don’t expect against a side that have won the Surjit Hockey Tournament most times.

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This was the sixth time that oilmen have won the Surjit Hockey Tournament having won it 2023, 2014, 2012, 2010 and 2007 – they have been runners-up on six occasion as well – 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2019. Interestingly, Indian Oil had faced off Bharat Petroleum in the final of the 2012 edition when they won 4-3 riding on a hat-trick by Gurjinder Singh.

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The 2024 has been a pretty good one for Indian Oil – they won the 4th Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship as Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSBP) beating Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) in the final. They also reached the final of the 125th All India Beighton Cup where they had lost to Indian Navy in a shootout.