Indian women's hockey team tackles defensive challenges against Australia

The Indian women's hockey team will field its "best combinations" and look to fix some defensive frailties in the three-match Test series against Australia starting here on Thursday, with head coach Harendra Singh hoping to identify his core group for the FIH Pro League matches in June.

After opening the tour with back-to-back losses to the Australia A side, India will be eager to bounce back with a stronger performance.

"In the first two games, most of the players have had a chance to play, and now we will try out the best combinations among players," chief coach Harendra Singh said in a press release issued by Hockey India.

"I am looking forward to this because this is how we identify the players who can compete in the forthcoming Pro League matches in Europe.

"Before going to the World Cup next year, the new girls should play a minimum of 35 matches. That is the goal we keep in mind while preparing for such tournaments," he added.

India went down 3–5 in the opening match before narrowly losing 2–3 in the second against Australia A. Despite the results, the coach was upbeat about the team's effort.

"In both the matches, we have conceded some soft goals, which were disheartening, but apart from that, we have been very competitive. This is a test series, so it is not about winning or losing; it is about the experience," the coach said.

He stressed the importance of giving youngsters early exposure at the international level.

"There are some players who have come out of the country to play for the very first time. I am giving the youngsters a chance to play so they are prepared to be the next generation," he added.

India's 26-member squad, led by Salima Tete with Navneet Kaur as vice captain, will now face a bigger challenge against the senior team of Australia over the next three matches on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The last time both sides met, India enjoyed a 1-0 victory during the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023–24 and will look to obtain a similar result.

Giving his assessment of the youngsters in the team, Harendra said, "Everyone is giving their heart, and there is healthy competition within the team. The one girl who has caught my eye is Mahima Tete. She's mobile, quick, and has great potential." "Same for Pooja, Sujata, Ajmina and all the other young players. Everyone is working hard and trying to learn. The key is to play simple hockey and gain experience against tough opponents like Australia," he concluded.