New Delhi: The Indian women’s hockey team has been riding high on confidence of late. Not just because they lifted the FIH Nations Cup in New Zealand and returned to the FIH Pro League, but because the team believes they have finally found the balance between youth, experience and structure.Captain Salima Tait and rising forward Sunelita Tobo are the two faces of this transformation. For Salim, who takes over as captain in 2023, leadership is a journey of growth, not power. She admits the role was daunting at first, especially as a young player entrusted with leading a team of experienced international players.“It was difficult at first because I didn’t know how to handle everything. I learned by sitting with seniors like Savita, Nikki, etc., asking questions, and learning how to lead. Early on, I barely spoke. Now I know communication is one of the captain’s biggest responsibilities,” Salima said.This openness helps create a locker room where every player is encouraged to contribute. The midfielder said leadership is shared, not imposed.“It’s not the captain who does everything, every player has to take responsibility. The juniors are also speaking out now, which is very important to us.”This culture was evident during India’s Nations Cup victory, with the team showing composure, resilience and tactical discipline. But Salima insists the celebrations have been put on hold.“This win is a great memory but now our focus is entirely on the World Cup. We analyzed our performance, watched video and identified areas where we can improve. We are just getting started. “India’s preparations focus on strengthening the fundamentals while building on the physical improvements that have become increasingly evident over the past few years. Salima praised the support staff for raising the fitness standards of the team, saying improved agility, strength and recovery had helped the players keep up with the speed of international hockey.“If we focus on our strengths, play with confidence and stay consistent, we can get good results. Every player has different qualities, speed, skills or passing and if everyone plays their role well we can compete with the best,” Salima said.Sunelita Toppo is one of those who has benefited from the environment created by senior players, and her experience reflects the meteoric rise of women’s hockey in India. The young striker, who scored in the Nations Cup final against New Zealand, said the moment was reward for countless hours spent practicing specific match situations.“We were prepared before the game. When the ball came to me, I stayed calm and executed what we had practiced. I’m happy that I was able to contribute to the team’s victory,” she said.Sunelita’s rise has been anything but smooth. Growing up in Odisha, she started playing hockey with bamboo sticks because her family couldn’t afford the proper equipment. Even the first hockey stick she received from her coach broke.However, those humble beginnings made her realize just how vast the state’s hockey infrastructure has grown.“When I started, we played on dirt. Now young players start on turf. There are even turfs near my village, so I can continue practicing every time I go home. It has made a huge difference.”She also emphasized the role of senior players in helping youngsters integrate into the national team.“The coaches taught us the system, but the seniors explained the situations based on their own experience. They never made us feel like juniors. They kept coaching us and that helped me improve a lot,” said Sunelita.Both players believe India’s biggest leap since the Tokyo Olympics has been its understanding of structure and conditioning. While the desire to win is always there, Sunelita believes the team’s tactical maturity has improved significantly under the current coaching staff.With the Hockey World Cup and Asian Games approaching, India knows the world’s elite teams face tougher challenges. But if the Nations Cup is a statement of intent, the conversations within the Indian camp reveal something equally important: a team that has stopped measuring itself by its past performance and has begun to believe it belongs among the best.The next few months will determine whether that belief translates into medals. Currently, India is entering the largest phase of this cycle, bringing not only momentum but a new sense of purpose.
