Indian women’s hockey team performance in the last four FIH World Cups hasn’t been encouraging. India finished ninth at the 2022 FIH World Cup in Spain/Netherlands.

Indian women’s hockey skipper Salima Tete was confident of improving position at next month’s FIH World Cup in Belgum/Netherlands.

The Indian skipper says the national team played good hockey in the previous FIH World Cup in 2022, but the results did not go the way they wanted. “This time, we are all talking about going much further and reaching the final,” says Salima Tete

The Indian women’s hockey team’s overall performance in the previous four editions of the FIH World Cups hasn’t been encouraging.

It will be a sort of miracle if the current group of players are able to advance to the medal round. The Indian women’s hockey team finished ninth at the 2022 FIH World Cup and eighth in 2018. The Indian team didn’t qualify for the 2014 edition and finished a disappointing ninth in the 2010 edition.

National team victory at the FIH Nations Cup held last month in New Zealand will be of academic interest as the FIH World Cup will be altogether a different ball game. Dutch hockey expert Sjoerd Marijne who took over the reign of the national team last year from Harendra Singh says the 20-member national team is balanced.    

 “We have chosen a well-balanced group of players who are ready for the big challenges we will face this summer,” says the Dutch hockey expert.

The Indian team is grouped in Pool D with formidable China, England and South Africa. India will face China on August 16 in their opening match, followed by matches against South Africa on August 18 and England on August 20.

Off the field the players have been battling controversies. The national team also took time to adapt to the new coaching pattern under Dutch hockey expert Sjoerd Marijne.

Indian squad: Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam. Defenders: Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas, Midfielders: Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (c), Neha, Deepika Soreng, Forwards: Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung

EOM