business · 2026-07-01
Serbia's Mihailovic Sparks India Volleyball
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India won bronze at the AVC Nations Cup in Ahmedabad, beating New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Australia, and Bahrain across five matches before 8K fans.The result qualifies India for the 12-team AVC Continental Cup in Sep, and positions them as Asia's 7th-ranked team eligible for the Asian Games.Serbian coach Dragan Mihailovic, 68, is pushing for a 9-week training camp and battling bureaucratic delays to prepare the squad for tougher opponents.
What did India's five wins actually look like?
India beat New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Australia, and Bahrain in pool and knockout stages. Indonesia defeated India in the semis in a close five-set match. Asia's top teams, Japan, Iran, and China, were absent. The bronze came before 8K fans in Ahmedabad, the largest volleyball crowd India has seen recently.
How did Mihailovic change tactics in just 10 days?
Mihailovic focused on two areas: serve accuracy and reception quality. In volleyball, a clean reception determines whether a setter can run complex attacking plays. In 10 days, he drilled first-pass accuracy so India could execute faster offensive combinations, visible in their clean wins over Kazakhstan and Australia.
What specific skills did India lack before him?
India's players had raw athleticism but lacked the precision of Japanese-style play and the physicality of Central Asian teams like Kazakhstan. Mihailovic identified reception as the weakest link. Poor first passes forced India into predictable attacks. Top Asian teams like Iran exploit exactly this gap with aggressive float serves.
Why did FIVB pick Mihailovic specifically?
FIVB, the world governing body, knew India's bureaucratic and logistical challenges had driven previous foreign coaches away within weeks. Mihailovic had a prior stint in 2019, understood the system, and had coached in Hong Kong. His 50 years of experience and demonstrated patience made him the rare coach willing to navigate Indian sports administration.
Could this bronze change volleyball's funding?
Indian volleyball has long struggled for govt and federation support. Qualifying for the Continental Cup and potential Asian Games selection gives the sport leverage to demand structured funding. For context, the Prime Volleyball League launched only recently. A medal at the Asiad would place volleyball alongside kabaddi and hockey in public visibility.
How does Asian Games qualification actually work?
For volleyball, Asia's top 8 ranked teams are typically eligible for the Asian Games, subject to national Olympic committee and sports ministry approval. India, ranked 7th in Asia, meets the criteria. But the sports ministry must formally nominate the team and allocate funds, a step still pending as of Jul 2026.
What would a 9-week camp cost vs. current spend?
A structured 9-week international training camp with foreign support staff typically costs ₹1.5-2.5 Cr for a volleyball squad, covering travel, lodging, imported coaching staff, and equipment. India's volleyball federation budget has historically been a fraction of cricket's BCCI spend. Even hockey's annual budget dwarfs volleyball's allocation by roughly 10x.
Could the Prime Volleyball League drive growth?
Indonesia's domestic league, where top Serbian, Italian, and Polish players compete, directly raised their national team's level, helping them win the Asian club championship. India's Prime Volleyball League, launched in 2022, provides match exposure but lacks comparable foreign talent depth. If league franchises invest in importing elite players, the spillover to the national team could mirror Indonesia's model.
Who beyond players benefits from this run?
Coach Mihailovic has brought in an Italian performance analyst and S&C coach. The 24-member squad, many from the domestic Prime Volleyball League, gains international exposure. Ahmedabad fans who packed the arena could anchor a home crowd culture. The sports ministry holds the key, as Asian Games clearance is still pending.
Which specific players stood out in Ahmedabad?
The article highlights the collective squad rather than naming individual stars, but India's outside hitters and setters showed improved coordination under Mihailovic. In past tournaments, captain Amit Gulia and attacker Ashwal Rai have been key performers. The 24-player roster's depth was tested across five matches in quick succession.
How do volleyball fan cultures develop elsewhere?
Brazil built volleyball fandom through free-to-air TV broadcasts of their superliga and a culture of beach volleyball in public spaces. Poland's PlusLiga draws 10K fans per match by embedding clubs in mid-sized cities. India's 8K Ahmedabad crowd suggests latent demand. Sustained home events, affordable tickets, and league visibility on streaming platforms like Sony LIV could replicate this.
What happens if the ministry blocks Asian Games?
If the ministry denies clearance, India misses the Asian Games entirely, losing a four-year visibility cycle. This happened to Indian handball in past editions. The team could still compete in the Continental Cup in Fukuoka, but the Asiad carries far greater media coverage and govt reward structures, including cash prizes under schemes like TOPS.
Source: indianexpress.com