Year-end hockey rankings: Indian men's team placed third, women's team drop to ninth

The Indian men's hockey team will end 2021 in third place in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) rankings. Third-place is India's highest-ever spot in the FIH rankings.

Meanwhile, the Indian women's hockey team has dropped one place to ninth in the year-end rankings.

The Indian men's hockey team's rise was highlighted by the bronze-medal winning feat at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year. The Indian hockey team put an end to a 41-year-old wait for an Olympic medal.

Read: Asian Champions Trophy 2021: India beat Pakistan to win bronze

The Manpreet Singh-led Indian men's hockey team finished third in the recently-concluded Asian Champions Trophy in Dhaka. The team will end the year with 2296.038 points, and are only behind Olympic champions Belgium and toppers Australia.

Australia have leapfrogged Belgium in the latest chart following Belgium's recent FIH Hockey Pro League draw and defeat at the hands of the Netherlands.

Australia will close the year with 2642.25 points, just 10 points ahead of FIH Hockey Pro League and Olympic champions Belgium, who have 2632.12 points.

Netherlands (2234.33 points) and Germany (2038.71 points) are placed in fourth and fifth positions respectively.

The top ten is completed by England (6th with 1990.62 points), Argentina (7th with 1826.11 points), New Zealand (8th with 1598.24 points), Spain (9th with 1532.33 points) and Malaysia (10th with 1427.18 points).

Indian women's hockey team drop one place

Meanwhile, the Indian women's hockey team dropped one place to finish ninth.

The Indian women's hockey team, who finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, will end the year with 1810.32 points.

The Netherlands women's hockey team will finish the year at the top of the FIH world rankings. with 3015.35 points, over 600 ranking points ahead of second placed England (2375.78 points).

Olympic silver medallists Argentina will begin 2022 in third spot, just 14 points behind England with 2361.28 points. Australia (2334.04 points) will finish the year in fourth place, while Germany (2126.15 points) and Spain (1959.62 points) are placed fifth and sixth respectively.

Belgium (7th with 1939.88 points), New Zealand (8th with 1821.11 points), India (9th with 1810.32 points) and China (10th with 1677.96 points) complete the top ten rankings.