The Indian women’s hockey crew would look to break its six-match losing streak and avoid relegation from the FIH Pro League with constructive outcomes towards China, beginning with the primary match in Berlin on Saturday (June 28, 2025).
The Indian women are at the moment positioned on the backside of the nine-team desk with 10 factors from 14 video games and are in peril of relegation to the second tier FIH Nations Cup in 2026.
It’s not what Hockey India had in its thoughts when Harendra Singh was introduced again on board as the top coach.
After a comparatively good outing at house leg earlier this yr, the Indian women misplaced six consecutive matches towards Australia, Argentina and Belgium (two matches towards one opponent) within the European leg of the event.
India shall be decided to log off their Pro League marketing campaign with useful wins in back-to-back matches towards fourth positioned China on Saturday and Sunday right here.
The Indians may need suffered six straight defeats, however they performed good, attacking hockey right here.
But their incapacity to utilise their possibilities upfront and convert penalty corners did them in.
There was an excessive amount of pressure on Deepika to rating from penalty corners and he or she fumbled beneath pressure on fairly a couple of events.
The Indian midfield although impressed with the likes of Salima Tete, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Vaisnavi Vitthal Phalke and Neha creating sufficient possibilities for the ahead line.
Sunelita Toppo, specifically, was a dwell wire within the midfield, and threatened the opposition defence together with her sensible stick work and runs.
But the strikers let India down because the likes of Navneet, Deepika, Baljeet Kaur and others struggled to get the decisive last contact.
The backline comprising Sushila Chanu, Jyoti, Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chatri and Suman Devi Toudam too have been responsible of committing foolish errors beneath pressure.
But with relegation looming, the Indian women cannot afford to commit any errors of their final two matches.
Harendra too could be beneath immense pressure to assist his wards to ship for 2 full performances this weekend.
Before the European leg, Harendra roped in Dutch nice Taeke Taekema to work with the drag-flickers however that transfer hasn’t translated into outcomes.
The Indians have actually struggled to convert their possibilities moreover being sloppy on the again.
Having misplaced the possibility to qualify instantly for subsequent yr’s World Cup via Pro League, India will want to win the Asia Cup in Hangzhou in September to ebook their berth within the quadrennial occasion.
