WHIL back with newcomers Ranchi Royals facing SG Pipers

RANCHI: The Indian women’s hockey team hasn’t seen much good happening over the past one year. They were relegated from the Pro League, lost the Asia Cup final to China and eventually saw Harendra Singh step down from the post of their head coach leaving them currently without a coach.However, the India players will look to put all that behind and show what they are capable of at the Women’s Hockey India League beginning at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. Like last season, there are four teams this year, too, but replacing defending champions Odisha Warriors are Ranchi Royals, who will play the tournament opener against SG Pipers. The other two teams – JSW Soorma Hockey Club and Shrachi Bengal Tigers – will face off in the second tie on Monday.The tournament will follow a double round-robin format, with each team facing the others twice in the league phase after which the top two sides will play the final on Jan 10 next year.Last year, Soorma finished top of the table but went down to Janneke Schopman-coached Odisha Warriors in the final. Naturally, they will hope to turn things around this season and grab the trophy.“Coming so close to the title last season has only sharpened our resolve. Soorma have unfinished business in this league, and we are determined to turn last year’s pain into this year’s motivation,” said Soorma captain Savita in a statement.The Ranchi crowd will, however, be rooting for the Ranchi Royals who are being captained by Nikki Pradhan and coached by Tushar Khandker. Their foreign players reached only a couple of days back and the lack of coordination might be an issue.As for SG Pipers, they finished at the bottom of the table last season, but with a new coach and a new-look squad, they are aiming for nothing but the top.Shrachi Bengal Tigers, meanwhile, will be looking up to Argentina’s Agustina Gorzelany, who was bought for Rs. 42 lakhs, making her the most expensive player at the auction, to lead them from the front. Gorzelany is among the 14 players from Argentina taking part in the tournament and like the Dutch women last season, it will be the South Americans who are likely to make heads turn.Also, there’s a couple of players from Uruguay like Maria Teresa Vianaache and Vilar Del Valle Dupuy playing this time around. And it will be interesting to see what they bring to the matches.While the number of teams sadly didn’t go up this season, one believes the tournament will help the India players get out of the stupor that they are in following a poor year besides giving the youngsters a chance to play alongside some of the best in the world.