Bhubaneswar, Feb 13 (IANS): After the remarkable Women's Asian Champions Trophy title win in November last year, the Indian team is all set to continue its run of form into the FIH Pro League matches at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from February 15 to 25.
India will kickstart their campaign with two matches against England on February 15 and 16 followed by clashes against Spain on February 18 and 19. The side will also face challenging opponents in World No. 4 Germany and World No. 1 Netherlands on February 21, 22 and February 24, 25, respectively.
India are led by Arjuna Awardee Salima Tete with deputy Navneet Kaur by her side. With a blend of experienced players of the likes of Savita, Sushila Chanu, Nikki Pradhan, Vandana Katariya, Udita, Lalremsiami and Sharmila Devi alongside star youngsters like Deepika, Sunelita Toppo and Jyoti in the ranks, India have a well-balanced squad.
The Indian players are heading into the tournament after their recent performances in the Women’s Hockey India League, which followed their iconic Women’s ACT win in Rajgir. Last season, India had a disappointing campaign, finishing eighth with only eight points in 16 games and could only score 16 goals over the course of the prestigious Pro League and will be eyeing to put up an improved show backed by the home crowd.
Ahead of the India leg, captain Salima Tete stated, "We can’t wait to play at the Kalinga Stadium again and win as many points as we can. We are facing challenging opponents, but I am confident that the girls are ready to take on the challenge and do their best on the field. We had a disappointing season last time, but I feel we are well-trained and prepared to do better this time around.”
Head coach Harendra Singh commented on India’s preparation ahead of the crucial matches and said, “The girls have worked extremely hard in the camp, and I am confident that we have a squad that is good enough to play on par with all our opponents. With the support of the home crowd behind us, we have crucial matches coming up, and we need to focus on winning maximum points.”