New Delhi, May 2 || On their tour of Australia, the Indian women’s hockey team will be hoping to put in a strong performance in the penultimate match. Up against the Australian senior team, the Women in Blue will have their task cut out and have been working hard to ensure the team’s performances are of high quality.
With one eye on the World Cup next year and the FIH Hockey Pro League in Europe later this year, the Indian team is also trying out new combinations and strategies on this tour of Australia. While India have not registered a win yet on the tour, the final two games represent a big chance to rectify that.
India’s 26-member squad, led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, have so far played the Australian senior team once, and despite a spirited performance, they were handed a 0-2 defeat by the hosts in Perth. Before the game against the Australian senior side, the Indian team also played a couple of friendlies against the Australia A side, but were not able to register wins despite gritty and determined performances.
Going into the final two games of the tour, chief coach Harendra Singh will be hoping to fix the chinks in the armour and build on the strengths of the side.