India’s remarkable unbeaten run in the semi-finals of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Cup may have marked a key moment for the national team, but head coach Dragan Mihailovic believes lasting success will depend on building a system capable of consistently delivering such performances.
Making their first appearance in the continental tournament, India reached the last four undefeated after winning five consecutive matches, losing only one set.
The campaign has taken India from 60th to 42nd in the world in the FIVB rankings, highlighting the rapid progress made in a short period of time.
Yet, despite the impressive numbers, the Serbian coach stressed that the team is only taking its first steps.
“My job is to create a structure and a system that players can trust,” Dragon told PTI.
“One of the biggest changes has been to bring discipline and consistency to the system. We have tried to help the boys be confident in their playing style and simplify some aspects of the defensive game while reducing unforced errors as matches are often decided by the smallest of margins.”
The coach said that the month-long national camp before the tournament had allowed the team to prepare specifically for each opponent, with the players quickly adopting a more structured tactical approach.
“We had a month to train and strategize against each opponent, which helped the team a lot. The boys adapted quickly and showed good temperament under pressure,” he said.
This achievement assumes greater significance considering that India entered the tournament with limited international experience and a relatively short preparation period.
Dragon said, “I have always believed in the abilities of this group. The results have been good so far, but this is just the beginning; we still have a long way to go.”
“We have achieved this with minimal experience and limited time. We need more international exposure, a high-level competition environment and opportunities to consistently play against the best teams in Asia and the world. Ability is one thing; consistent results are what make a team or country great.”
The campaign also comes against the backdrop of administrative uncertainty in Indian volleyball.
Earlier this year, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) had revoked the recognition of the Volleyball Federation of India, citing governance and administrative concerns, and handed over the day-to-day affairs of the sport to a steering committee comprising representatives of the FIVB and the Indian Olympic Association until fresh elections are held.
The governance crisis had created uncertainty over the immediate future of the game and subsequently led to concerns over the welfare of players and the functioning of the federation.
In that backdrop, India’s unbeaten run and surge in the world rankings has provided a timely boost, bringing the focus back to on-court performance.
Even amid the off-court uncertainty, India’s rise has also coincided with the growing influence of the Prime Volleyball League, which has completed five seasons and provided Indian players with the opportunity to compete with leading international players and coaches.
The Dragons acknowledged the league’s contribution but said domestic competition alone could not close the gap with elite countries in Asia.
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“The Prime Volleyball League has been great for Indian volleyball as it has raised the overall standards of the game.
“We need to have longer national camps, frequent international exposure tours and tournaments, development of coaching pathways, hosting more international competitions in India and taking responsibility for the overall volleyball ecosystem.
“Indian players definitely have the skills, but they need the experience of playing regularly against the world’s top players and teams to reach the next level.”
India’s performance in Ahmedabad builds on the momentum generated from last year’s silver medal at the CAVA Men’s Volleyball Nations League.
This encouraging performance also comes just months before the Asian Games, although the Dragons quickly tempered expectations despite India’s unbeaten campaign.
“This tournament will definitely give us confidence in our abilities, disciplined play and commitment, but we should not rely too much on the results,” he said.
“We understand that the top three Asian teams are not here, and we know what it takes to become one of the top five teams in Asia.”
For this to happen, Koch believes India needs to strengthen its growth path by identifying talent early and building a more robust high-performance structure.
“We need better systems where the best talent from all age groups come to the National Center of Excellence and their progress is analyzed regularly. This will expand the national team pool.
“We have to keep improving our standards in training, keep learning from the tournament environment and expose ourselves to teams that play different styles of volleyball. If we continue to do that, Indian volleyball will keep moving in the right direction,” he said.
Published June 27, 2026
