Argentina produced one of the most emphatic performances in recent FIH Pro League history, dismantling India 8-0 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on February 12 in a match that left the home crowd stunned and raised serious questions about the state of Indian men's hockey.

Tomas Domene was the undisputed star of the evening, netting four goals in the 15th, 20th, 26th, and 60th minutes to cap a masterful individual display. But this was far more than a one-man show. Five different Argentine players found the back of the net, with Tomas Ruiz opening the floodgates in the 14th minute before Lucio Mendez, Ignacio Ibarra, and Nicolas della Torre all added their names to the scoresheet in a devastating first-half blitz.

India actually started the match with intent, pressing forward in the opening exchanges and earning a penalty stroke near the end of the first quarter. But when captain Harmanpreet Singh's effort was saved by Argentine goalkeeper Tomas Santiago, the momentum shifted decisively. Argentina pounced, scoring five goals before the break to take a commanding 7-0 lead into halftime. The hosts looked shell-shocked, unable to cope with the pace and precision of Los Leones' attacking play.

The second half brought marginal improvement from India, with Shilanand Lakra and Aditya Lalage both coming close to getting on the scoresheet. Santiago, however, remained resolute between the posts, denying every Indian attempt. Despite earning three penalty corners throughout the match, India failed to convert any, a damning indictment of their set-piece execution. Domene then put the exclamation mark on the result with his fourth goal in the dying seconds of the final quarter.

The result was part of a catastrophic Rourkela home leg for India, who lost all four of their matches. They had earlier fallen 1-3 to Belgium on February 11, before suffering the Argentine humiliation. The misery continued with a 2-4 loss to Belgium on February 14, where Alexander Hendrickx scored twice in a dominant first-quarter display for the Belgians, and a 2-4 defeat to Argentina on February 15, where Tadeo Marcucci's brace guided Los Leones to another comfortable victory.

India's winless run has left them languishing near the bottom of the FIH Pro League standings, pointless after their home fixtures. Argentina, meanwhile, climbed to fourth in the table with 14 points from six matches, with Belgium sitting comfortably at the top of the standings.

The scale of the 8-0 defeat has prompted intense scrutiny of India's defensive organization and tactical approach. For a team that won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has invested heavily in its hockey program, the performance in Rourkela represents a significant setback. The inability to convert penalty corners, a traditional Indian strength under Harmanpreet Singh's leadership, has been a particular point of concern.

As the FIH Pro League season continues with upcoming matches scheduled in Hobart, Australia, featuring encounters between Australia, India, and Spain later in February, the Indian coaching staff faces an urgent task of rebuilding confidence and addressing the glaring issues exposed during a forgettable home leg. For Argentina and Belgium, the Rourkela results confirmed their status as genuine contenders in world hockey heading into a pivotal year.