India Vs Australia Hockey Highlights, Sultan Of Johor Cup Final: IND 1-2 AUS; Heartbreak For Blue Colts

Greetings and welcome to everyone joining us. Our hockey coverage continues as we build up to the mouthwatering final between India and Australia. Stay with us for all the updates from the Sultan of Johor Cup title clash.

The pushback is at 6:05pm IST. The India vs Australia, Sultan of Johor Cup 2025 final will be live streamed on the Ashley Morrison Media YouTube channel in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.

Goalkeepers: Bikramjit Singh, Princedeep Singh  

Defenders: Rohit (captain), Talem Priyobarta, Anmol Ekka, Amir Ali, PB Sunil, Ravneet Singh  

Midfielders: Ankit Pal, Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang, Adrohit Ekka, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Roshan Kujur, Manmeet Singh  

Forwards: Arshdeep Singh, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Ajeet Yadav, Gurjot Singh

Standby Players: Vivek Lakra, Shardanand Tiwari, Thockchom Kingson Singh, Rohit Kullu, Dilraj Singh

India beat England 3-2 and New Zealand 4-2 before being held 3-3 by Pakistan in a thriller. The Blue Colts then fell to a 2-4 defeat to Australia, which made their last group game against Malaysia a must win. They did what was needed, defeating the hosts 2-1 to march into the final.

This is how India line up for the all-important final against Australia:

Australia are yet to be defeated in the tournament. They thrashed trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand 4-0 in their opener, before being held 1-1 by Malaysia. The Kookaburras then blanked Great Britain 2-0 before beating India 4-2 to seal their final berth. The Aussies then played a 3-3 draw with Pakistan in their last outing.

The two teams stride out to the field, and the national anthems are played. We have pushback in Johor Bahru with India attacking from left to right and Australia the other way in the first half.

Australia draw first blood! Ian Grobbelaar converts a penalty corner for the Kookaburras and India are pegged back in the 13th minute. The Blue Colts are on the defensive in the first quarter and just about manage to avoid a second goal by the time the hooter rings out.

India draw level! Anmol Ekka it is, with the equaliser in the 17th minute as the Blue Colts convert a penalty corner of their own and bring the match back on level terms, early in the second quarter.

India earn a penalty corner at the stroke of half time, and an Aussie foot in the circle while defending the drag flick means a re-award. But nothing comes of that either, and the first half comes to an end with the scoreline reading 1-1. A riveting half of hockey. Let's see what's in store next.

India on the move right after resumption. They garner their fifth penalty corner soon after pushback in the third quarter. The drag flick goes into the foot of the first runner and there will be another penalty corner.

A good spell from India, who are now attacking from right to left, as they eke out yet another PC. The Aussie defence stands tall to thwart it this time, but Rohit and Co need more of this.

There has not been a goal in the second half as yet, though not for lack of trying. Both teams have earned penalty corners but both defences have done well to ward off the threat in the respective scenarios.

The third quarter ends goalless and that means we head into the final 15 minutes of the match, with the teams still level at 1-1. It's all about fitness and nerves at this stage: the team that proves to be better on the two fronts would most likely emerge victors.

Remember that if the stalemate persists till the end of full time, we will have a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Neither side would want that to happen, however, and thus we see them both looking for openings in the remaining 10-odd minutes.

Australia bag a penalty corner with less than four minutes left on the clock. This could be a decisive moment in the match.

But the India defence staves off that challenge and the score stays at 1-1. A shootout is imminent, unless something special from either side.

There comes that special moment for the Aussies. Ian Grobbelaar nets his second goal of the evening, and a potentially title-winning one, as he converts a penalty corner in the 59th minute to put the Kookaburras ahead. Can India still fight back?

What drama! With hardly a minute left, India earn a penalty corner upon review as a piece of Aussie defensive equipment hit an Indian player. There is a re-award of the PC and then a tense moment as the resulting one is reviewed. The review holds and India get one more PC.

Heartbreak for India! After several PC re-awards, they squander the chance to equalise at the stroke of full time and Australia emerge 2-1 victors, courtesy Grobbelaar's 59th-minute winner. So while India miss out on victory despite fighting all the way, the Aussies become champions, defeating India for the first time in a final of Sultan of Johor Cup.

It was a spirited effort from the Blue Colts, make no mistake. They came really close to equalising at the fag end with a series of penalty corners, but fell just short. Nevertheless, the players can bow out with their heads held high.

India trailed early after conceding a goal to Ian Grobbelaar in the 13th minute, before hitting back through Anmol Ekka (17’) early in the second quarter to draw level. The contest remained evenly poised until the final moments, when Grobbelaar (59’) converted a late penalty corner to seal the title for Australia.