India’s women’s hockey captain Salima Tete is confident that her team will give an improved performance when the Bhubaneswar leg of FIH Pro League commences on Saturday and will not be pulled back by its disastrous showing in the previous season. India will open their campaign against England at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, hoping to erase the memories of an eighth-place finish last season, where they ended up only ahead of the United States. The other teams in fray here are Germany, Spain and world No.1 Netherlands.
India scored only 16 goals last season in comparison to champions Netherlands, who smashed a mind-boggling 63 goals.
The country is currently ranked ninth in the world, while powerhouse Germany are fourth, England seventh and Spain eighth.
“We had a disappointing season last time but I feel we are well-trained and prepared to do better this time around,” said Tete ahead of the India leg.
India will begin their campaign in the Pro League 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 Germany and world No. 1 Netherlands on February 21, 22 and February 24, 25 respectively.
“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,” Tete added.
Head coach Harendra Singh said he was optimistic about the team performing on an even keel against their higher-ranked opponents.
“The girls have worked extremely hard in the camp and I am confident that we have a squad, good enough to play on-par with all our opponents. With the support of the home crowd, we have crucial matches coming up and we need to focus on winning maximum points,” he said.
India clinched their third Asian Champions Trophy title beating China at home in November last year, giving them the boost they needed after missing out on a Paris Olympics berth.
With a blend of experienced players like 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.
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