The Indian women’s team were unable to make the semi-finals of the Hockey World Cup, and many will say it was a below-par effort. But was it really?
Just a year ago, the team were relegated from the Pro League. They lost almost everything, and things had come to a pass. Even qualifying for the World Cup was in doubt, while losing to China had become the norm.
At this World Cup, however, the only match India lost was against Olympic champions the Netherlands. Yibbi Jansen and the Dutch are unmatched at the moment and, even against them, India’s defensive formation was excellent. Against China, India drew 2-2 after leading twice. Against England, it was another 0-0 draw, while Australia were also held to a goalless draw on Sunday.
Clearly, coach Sjoerd Marijne has done things right. More than anything, there is self-belief. Savita and Bichu Devi have both had stellar tournaments and, while the midfield and forward line still need to improve, there can be little doubt that India are a much-improved side.
There is also an interesting contrast with the men’s team. While the men have struggled for consistency and have failed to turn promise into sustained results, the women have shown remarkable progress after a difficult period. The women have gone into the World Cup, competed against some of the world’s best and, importantly, refused to wilt under pressure. At a time when Indian hockey needs signs of a revival, the women have arguably provided the more convincing evidence that a team can move forward quickly when the right process is in place.
Ahead of the World Cup, if someone had told me that the women would play for fifth or sixth place and even have a chance of making the semi-finals, I would have taken that result any day. The group was the toughest, and in every sense the Indians have shown fight.
So much so that an Asian Games gold no longer seems beyond them. It would mean automatic qualification for LA28, allowing Marijne the necessary time to work on the team and get them Olympic-ready. All the signs so far have been positive and, if Marijne can get the team to this level in the six months since February, there is every reason to believe that Indian women’s hockey is in safe hands.
Two things have stood out for me during this campaign. First, fitness-wise, the girls have been right up there. Second, in defence, they have been resolute.
At no point in any of the games did it seem that the Indians were wilting, and that is a massive requirement in modern hockey. Physical fitness translates into mental fitness, particularly late in matches, when teams can concede goals under pressure. We have not seen that from India, and that is a big plus.
The defensive shape has also been excellent. Salima Tete has led the team well and, even without a goalkeeper against Australia in the final few minutes, she managed to stave off a penalty corner. For a team that was down in the dumps just nine months ago, these are very strong signs of improvement.
Nothing changes overnight, and to expect things to happen in a matter of months is unrealistic. Having said that, a process is clearly in place and we should expect a strong showing from the team at the Asian Games.
From what we have seen at the World Cup, India should not settle for anything less than gold. That would allow the team adequate time for Olympic preparation without having to worry about the qualifiers.
Semi-finals or not, the World Cup has shown that Indian women’s hockey is on the right track.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
The post India’s women have given Indian hockey plenty to believe in appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
