India’s men’s hockey team faced a tough 0-2 defeat against reigning world champions Germany in the first Test match on Wednesday, leaving Chief Coach Craig Fulton lamenting the lack of firepower up front and missed opportunities from penalty corners.

The match, held in New Delhi, saw India fail to convert eight penalty corners, a key factor in the loss. While Germany capitalized on their chances, scoring twice within the first 30 minutes, India’s attack struggled to break through the German defense.

“We went on the mock today,” said Fulton, referring to the penalty corner practice drills. “There was Varun (Kumar) and Sanjay, but you obviously want Harman (Harmanpreet Singh) to score a few from penalty corners.”

Despite India’s efforts, the Olympic silver medalists controlled the game, seizing momentum early on and maintaining their lead throughout the match. Harmanpreet Singh and the rest of the Indian team failed to find the net, resulting in a disappointing outcome for the home side.

Fulton emphasized the need for sharper execution in penalty corners moving forward, noting that missed opportunities at crucial moments cost India the game.