For 54 minutes, they huffed and puffed, but couldn’t break the Japanese door down. A 0-1 defeat for the Indian women’s hockey team that night meant their dreams of going to Paris evaporated in the Ranchi night sky earlier this year. In the cycle between Tokyo and Paris, that was perhaps India’s biggest downfall. There was never a lack of trying, or skills for that matter, but the obvious-yet-hardest way to win a hockey match is to put the ball in the back of the net.
At the Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, India’s key mission will be goals, it will be the primary task on the turf for returning head coach Harendra Singh. Before his first assignment with the team during the European leg of the Pro League, he hadn’t had enough time to implement his methods and the team scored just one goal in his first four matches in charge. But they started finding their feet in the later part of that tour, and having trained for a few months now, results will be expected in Bihar.
“The key is to take the right kind of decision at the right time,” Harendra told The Indian Express. “For that, the first touch inside the circle is very important and we are working hard on that. Another important thing is that you have to be calm and composed when you receive the ball inside the circle — whether you are taking a shot at goal, or making the next move to someone to score. That’s a split-second decision, and you have to completely stay in the moment.”
Harendra’s thought process in trying to find more goals has been to try and get his forwards to not think about just scoring.
What happens with the players is that sometimes they forget what their job is when they receive the ball and just think ‘goal karna hai, goal karna hai’. That often results in not using the right skill. So we sat down with the strikers and told them not to go for the outcome. First, strong receiving is important, and then choose your next move: whether going for a shot, or trying to get a deflection, or looking to find the second angle, or trying to win a PC.”
Focus on PC conversion
And that’s where the second key aspect comes in: Penalty Corner conversion. Gurjit Kaur – scorer of the famous goal against Australia at the Olympics in Tokyo – is not in the scheme of things anymore, largely down to her shortcomings in the overall game. Harendra, however, is confident of widening that pool, led by young forward Deepika.
“We are working with the three-four flickers at the moment. Deepika is of course there, but there is also Manisha (Chauhan), who I am trying to develop for the future,” the coach said. “Deepika had a little bit of style and footwork issues, I think we have rectified that and she is flicking really well at the moment.”
“For four months we have really worked hard on this. In this Olympic cycle, I guarantee at least four or five good flickers. I have the capacity for it, I have worked with guys like Sandeep, Jugraj, Rupinder, Harmanpreet in my time. I am a strong believer in having one really good goalkeeper and drag flicker. I am going to work really hard in this aspect, and I also believe drag flickers should be allrounders like Harmanpreet and not be in the squad just for PCs.”
Rani Rampal, the greatest goalscorer India have produced, was sidelined for a majority of the time in the last cycle and has since announced her retirement. Vandana Katariya, the most capped Indian player, is not part of the ACT squad but Harendra insisted that she is still a part of his plans going forward, and this tournament is a chance for younger players to step up. That is where Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Beauty Dungdung have to start firing.
And the supply-line has to be sharp too, where the two new leaders have to step up: captain Salima Tete and her deputy Navneet Kaur. The names are all familiar, but this has to be a fresh start because the Indian women’s hockey team needs to get back on track soon. And Harendra – in a very ‘Chak de! India’ sense – wants his wards to help each other achieve it, rather than just think about personal glory.
“ACT will be a good test for us for the strikers: how to score and also how to make your teammates score. I believe more in assisting others to score a goal rather than a player going for individual glory. For me, that is why the player’s name is on the back of the jersey and the country’s flag is in front. India has to win and for that, you have to assist.”
India’s squad:
Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam; Defenders: Udita, Jyoti, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary; Midfielders: Neha, Salima Tete, Sharmila Devi, Manisha Chauhan, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami; Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Preeti Dubey, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Beauty Dungdung
