India bank on hope, experience to make a mark at World Cup

BENGALURU: The past few years have been a roller-coaster ride for the Indian

women's hockey

team. From qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics to winning the Asian Champions Trophy that year they've grown from strength to strength. The Asia Cup title triumph last year followed by the fourth-place finish at the

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

have strengthened the belief that the team is moving in the right direction.


Come July, the Rani-led team go back to the tournament where the Indian women's hockey team's journey in international hockey truly began - the World Cup. At the inaugural 1974 World Cup in Mandelieu, France, they finished a creditable fourth marking a beginning.

Having failed to qualify for the 2014 edition, India return to the competition with the hope of making a mark. The next couple of months are crucial, considering, they head for the Asian Games, starting August 18, immediately after the London bash.

Although the days ahead are hectic, chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said, the workload is manageable. "After the London event, we will focus on the Asian Games. A lot of people are worried about two back-to-back major tournaments. I think it is possible (to manage the workload) because the schedule at the World Cup is not that heavy. After the first match they have a four-day break, then two days rest after the second match. As you progress in the tournament, the gaps between matches reduce. That said, if we were not playing the World Cup, we would have a similar schedule while playing practice matches."

Although a majority of players weigh in with experience, only two players - Rani and Deepika - have featured in a World Cup before. But the Dutchman is not worried about the lack of big-stage experience mainly because most of them have been to the Olympics. "The girls have worked very hard to get to the World Cup which is the second biggest event for us after the Olympics. When we work over a year to qualify, we must be ready to perform," he added.

Marijne, who was moved back to shepherd the women's team after brief stint with the men's unit, was cautious when asked to spell out his expectations but admitted a quarterfinal finish is a good result.

"We have a lot of potential but in hockey you need luck. There are a lot of moments, like ball hitting the post or stopping just short. You need some luck going your way as well. For us, the most important thing is we focus on our first match. You go to a tournament to achieve results. We would be happy with a quarterfinal but we should strive for a medal. Whether you are ranked second, tenth or 16th, you go to the World Cup and want to win a medal, that is normal. That said, we have to believe in ourselves."

Predictably, Marijne said, the team will take one match at a time. "We play England in the opener. We have beaten them before and if we can beat them once, we can beat them again."

India (10) have been clubbed with England (world ranking 2), USA (7) and Ireland (16). The top team from each group will make the quarterfinals.