Did feel I might not play this time, says Savita Punia ahead of comeback

RANCHI: Savita Punia last took the field on June 28 when India faced off against China in the European leg of the Pro League at Ernst Reuter Sportfeld in Berlin. During the tournament, she injured her right ankle and had been out of action since then.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!As a result, she missed the Asia Cup that took place in Hangzhou, China, in August where India made the final but went down to the hosts. It was the first major injury for her and she underwent surgery for the same in Sept in Bengaluru. She, however, will be back on the field on Monday when Soorma Hockey Club face off against Shrachi Bengal Tigers in the second match of the Women’s Hockey India League (WHIL) at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Monday.Naturally, she is quite excited about her return but also spoke about her scepticism she felt before.“For the first time in 16 years, I had an injury and had to undergo surgery. So, I’m definitely feeling good about making a comeback. For a while though I did feel that I might not play this time because the surgery and auction both happened in Sept and I thought that the team might go with someone else. But they showed trust in me and I’m thankful to them for that,” said Savita during an exclusive interaction with TOI on Sunday.“All that coach Jude Menezes wanted to know was if I would be available in kits a week before the tournament. So, this kind of support is incredibly motivating for a player.”Although the surgery was successful, her rehabilitation began in Bengaluru and later continued for a while at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Bellary under the supervision of Wayne Lombard. And Lombard, who earlier worked with the Indian women’s team, played a big role in helping her get back on the field in such a short time.“He is a great trainer and the fitness of the players was great when we worked under him ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Moreover, he creates a positive environment that helps the players. He was with Soorma last year, and he planned my entire rehabilitation programme this time and it’s because of him that I could make such a quick comeback,” added the goalkeeper.While doing well at WHIL remains her current goal, she is also looking forward to turning things around for the Indian women’s hockey team that will play the World Cup qualifiers in March in Hyderabad.“We will have to work on PC defence and attack and especially our fitness to make sure we are well prepared for the tournament. Everybody knows the importance of this tournament, and we won’t get a second chance so we will have to grab it,” said Savita.And the WHIL will certainly give Savita and the other India players a great chance to sharpen their skills ahead of the major tournament.