Harendra’s Mission: Reigniting the Flame of Indian Women’s Hockey

The squad’s failure to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics resulted in Dutchwoman Janneke Schopman being relieved from her position as head coach. Subsequently, Hockey India re-appointed Harendra Singh for the second time six years later.

Under Singh’s leadership, India suffered losses in all eight away matches of the 2023-24 Pro League. However, it’s worth noting that Singh had only recently assumed his position. The team narrowly avoided relegation by finishing eighth.

The team showed resilience by triumphing in the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir without losing a match. Nonetheless, in the 2024-25 Pro League, India struggled against the world’s top teams, culminating in a ninth-place finish, resulting in relegation.

“It’s disheartening that we are out of the Pro League. We have pinpointed the causes behind the losses. Injuries to key defenders like Nikki (Pradhan), Udita, and Sushila (Chanu) left us handicapped, forcing us to reassign midfielders Jyoti Singh and Vaishnavi (Vitthal Phalke) to defense,” expressed Harendra from Thiruvananthapuram.

“This major shift resulted in conceding 52 penalty corners, a significantly high number, with 35% resulting in goals, marking a key difference.”

From a total of 16 matches, India managed to win two, draw three, and lose 11, thus facing relegation to the Nations Cup, which they claimed in 2022 to secure Pro League promotion.

“We need to tackle our weaknesses in allowing soft PCs. Should they occur, we must prevent conversions. The team is young and lacks experience, with 6-7 players participating in the Pro League for the first time. These players require better game and time management. Many soft PCs were conceded with mere seconds remaining,” stated Harendra.

“Improving decision-making, especially when tackling inside the circle or when entering the opponent’s circle, is essential. Skill-wise and fitness-wise, we were competitive in our style of hockey.”

After missing out on the Paris Games qualification through the Pro League, India’s next opportunity arises at the 2026 World Cup by performing well at the upcoming Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China, scheduled from September 5-14.

Japan, defending champions, and hosts China, ranked fourth globally and reigning Asian Games champions as well as Paris Games silver medallists, pose significant challenges.

“In our last two encounters with China, both of which we lost, we were competitive. At the Asia Cup, it’s a 50-50 chance. It’s crucial to remain composed and focus on game and time management. If done properly and soft PCs are avoided, our chances against China remain balanced,” Harendra added.

“Our new team is adept at securing circle penetrations, but converting these into results is the challenge. Players must manage their eagerness to score by utilizing quality skills to achieve goals or penalty corners.”