CHENNAI: For elite Indian Hockey, 2024 has been a mixed bag of fortunes. While the men’s team managed to bag a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics, the women’s team has been met with one disappointment after another. Despite their dominance at the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, it narrowly missed out on an Olympic berth at both the 2023 Asian Games and the 2024 FIH Olympic Qualifiers.
Now, as they prepare to defend their title at the 2024 edition of the Asian Champions Trophy, to be held once again in India, with midfielder Salima Tete taking over the captaincy from veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia, the squad is determined to show their resilience in front of home fans and regain momentum on the international stage.
One of the most successful teams in the tournament alongside South Korea, with two titles each, for captain Salima, India’s focus remains clear. “As captain, I always make sure to keep motivating the team,” she says. “We have complete freedom on the pitch, so there is no need to feel pressured. Just play to your strengths. Regarding Paris (Olympics), we definitely still feel some pain. But we have to move on.”
The team’s inability to qualify for the Olympics was especially painful given their impressive fourth-place finish at Tokyo three years ago, but Savita believes these experiences have only made the team stronger. “We know what our strengths are; it’s our aggressive attacking style of play,” she explains. “We are also focusing on learning how to effectively organise a defence; how to manage counter-control. Apart from that, penalty corner attack and defence are also a priority.”
Her only advice to her younger teammates is to prepare with the same mindset as they would have on the field. “The mindset with which you prepare is what you’re going to find in the actual games,” Savita says. “It’s not like we only put on a game mindset during a tournament; it should be there even when we are preparing.
The young players these days are quite intelligent in how they approach the game, they are quick learners. However, the pressure when you’re in, let’s say, a quarter-final or a semi-final can be immense. I learned it from experience, but I try to also impart it to the younger players as much as possible. Pressure is constant; it’s just our approach that matters.”
This year’s tournament will be held in Rajgir in Bihar, and playing in front of home fans is something that both Salima and Savita believe will give the team a lift. “Having the tournament on your home turf is a fantastic thing,” says Savita.
“This is the second year that India is hosting the Asian Champions Trophy. The last time was in Ranchi, Jharkhand. When we played there, we saw how much the fans cared about the game, so definitely we’ll have a lot of support this time around.”
Meanwhile, as she steps into the captain’s role, Salima opens up about balancing leadership with her role as a midfielder. “Results don’t matter, but my focus is to keep everyone working together in tough situations. If we can do that, we will definitely win,” she adds. Salima has also focused on mentoring younger players who are stepping into their first major international tournament.
“I will spend some time with them, tell them not to take any pressure and to enjoy themselves as they are going to play their first major tournament. It is a memory they will cherish for a long time. We all will be there to help them if they slip up on the pitch. They should just go out and enjoy the game,” she says.
As India prepares for the 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy, they are aiming not just to defend their title but also to rebuild their confidence after a challenging year. “We’ve known well what (Coach Harendra Singh) expects from the team and also individually from players. I hope for all the effort he’s putting in training us, we’ll be able to translate it with success on the field,” says Savita.