The Indian Women’s Hockey team is all set to fight it out in the FIH Women’s World Cup which is scheduled in Netherlands and Spain and set to begin on 1st July 2022. The core members of the Indian Women’s are currently in preparation mode at the SAI centre in Bengaluru as they are already in the zone.
The Indian core is very strong and has different players with different capabilities. The FIH Hockey Pro League matches and the juniors called into the senior team after the Junior World Cup has created a healthy sense of competition between the players as they aim to outperform each other, taking the level of the team higher and higher.
Sharing a piece of her mind about the entire dressing room atmosphere, Indian ace goalkeeper Savita Punia who led the Indian Eves to the top of the standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League said, “There is a lot of excitement in the camp and players are giving their 100 per cent in training. With new players coming into the group by virtue of good performances in the Pro League and Junior World Cup, there is healthy competition within the group and this is helping in bringing out the best in each one of us.”
Savita feels that more players have had international exposure and have played in big matches so they have that experience of playing under pressure. She believes that the team has great harmony and the confidence of playing in crunch games will hold them in good stead for the coming challenges. “With more players getting international exposure, and having gained the confidence to play top teams in big-match scenarios, we are heading in the right direction of building a strong team for the all-important World Cup,” added Savita.
The Indian Women’s Hockey team are clubbed in Pool B of the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup along with teams like England, China and New Zealand. India will play their first match against England on 3rd July. However, ahead of the tournament, the Indian Eves will face a double header against Belgium and also two matches each against Argentina and United States in the FIH Hockey Pro League.
Savita wants to put full emphasis on the team’s fitness and post-match recovery. The players will be up against back to back matches and it will be of prime importance for them to be at their physical best. “There is a lot of hockey we will be playing in the weeks leading up to the World Cup, so there is a lot of emphasis on our fitness during this camp and we are also paying attention to the post-match recovery process,” stated Savita Punia.
