Women’s hockey team should have had more international matches this year: Vandana

The most recent assignment for the Indian women’s team was in Australia last month, where it was able to record a win only in its fifth and last game on the tour -- a 2-1 victory over Australia A.

Katariya named Japan, Korea and China as the teams to beat in the Asian Games but insisted the Indian players have more faith in their abilities and training. | Photo Credit:  BISWARANJAN ROUT/The Hindu

India women’s hockey forward Vandana Katariya feels the team should have played more international matches this year as big-ticket events such as Asian Games in China are lined up.

The most recent assignment for the Indian women’s team was in Australia last month, where it was able to record a win only in its fifth and last game on the tour -- a 2-1 victory over Australia A -- while it lost three (two against Australia senior, one against Australia A) and drew one game (against Australia senior).

The team had a terrific run in the Tokyo Olympics where it lost in the bronze medal match against Great Britain.

“We should have had a little more international matches — we could have had some more games before the Australia tour,” Katariya told  PTI in an interview here on Wednesday.

“But we do not mind it, because the way we train in the camps, all 33 (players) of us take each day of training as if it is a competition day. Having that kind of approach gives us a feel of a match-day,” she added.

 Indian players celebrate their victory against Australia during women‘s field hockey quarterfinal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. | Photo Credit: PTI

Katariya was a star performer as she became the first player ever from India to score a hat-trick of goals in the last Olympics, during its Pool A game against South Africa. The 31-year-old, however, said it puts no extra pressure on her with the Asian Games and Olympics lined up.

“No, I do not feel there is any extra pressure on me. For a player, whichever level you are playing at, be it even for district or state, there is a bit of nervousness there,” she said.

“It is important to understand what kind of effect it is having on you — whether it is taking you up or down. For me, it works in a positive way since I am able to do better the next day during the match,” Katariya said.

The Indian forward said despite the number of international assignments lined up, the team has full faith in their training.

“It has been good so far. We have been through back-to-back tournaments, we played some good, competitive games with Australia. All our preparations have been focussed on the Asian Games right now,” she said.

Katariya said after the Australia tour, it is important for the team to strike a balance between playing an attacking game and handling counter-attacks from the opposition in case they lose the ball.

“We have learned that we have to remain energetic throughout. We cannot play easy, and we must maintain the pace of our game,” she said.

“We have to concentrate more on counter-control because when we go for our attack and the opposition side is able to regain the ball, it opens up more possibilities of conceding penalty corners and goals.

“We have experienced that we must concentrate on the defensive side of the game as well at the time when we are on the attack,” she added.

Katariya insisted the Indian team has a steady stream of young players who, with proper training, will be able to maintain the intensity and standards.

“The team that we have right now if you look at the players who have come up, they are also very good. Tomorrow if I am not around, there is some player who is developed to take over because they are training very well,” she said when asked about how the team has coped with the absence of Rani Rampal.

Katariya named Japan, Korea and China as the teams to beat in the Asian Games but insisted the Indian players have more faith in their abilities and training.

“If we perform well, we will win. All teams are balanced. Maybe, before 2017, there would be an element of fear while taking the field against the bigger teams (such as the Netherlands and Australia), but now, there is nothing like that.

“We know the kind of training that we have done and what we need to do (in matches). Winning and losing is a part, our focus is on doing well against them as a team,” she said.