By Adarsh Chauhan
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 11 (ANI): Chief Coach of the Indian ladies’s hockey group, Sjoerd Marijne, has urged his gamers to place the group’s aims forward of particular person ambitions as they put together for the twentieth Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
Hockey India on Friday introduced the 20-member Indian ladies’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games, with Salima Tete to proceed captaining the aspect, having led the group to FIH Nations Cup triumph in New Zealand final month.
Speaking to ANI after the squad announcement, Coach Marijne urged his gamers to remain centered on their particular person roles whereas prioritising the group’s objectives over private ambitions, stressing that collective success will naturally result in particular person achievements.
He added that this mindset has benefited the group in latest months and is one thing he continues to bolster.
‘One piece of recommendation for gamers is to focus by yourself job and try this in addition to doable, and concentrate on the group purpose, not your particular person purpose, as a result of in the event you concentrate on the group purpose, you’ll attain your particular person purpose, however not the opposite method round. And that has been very constructive the final months and excellent, however that’s one thing that I preserve reminding them of,’ he informed ANI.
Marijne praised Salima for main by instance and galvanizing youthful gamers together with her power on the sector. He additionally highlighted the management contributions of senior gamers reminiscent of Navneet Kaur, Sushila Chanu, Savita, Bichu Devi, Nikki Pradhan, and Neha Goyal, saying their collective steerage helps set excessive requirements for the remainder of the group.
‘I feel she’s an excellent instance for the youthful gamers. She leads by instance. She is the one within the pitch with a number of others, but in addition giving the suitable instance. She brings her power over to the remainder of the group. But she will not be alone on this. Navneet Kaur is somebody who’s guarding the extra tactical aspect. We have Sushila, we’ve Savita, we’ve Bichu, Nikki, Neha Goyal, so a number of gamers are supporting Salima, and if all these gamers give an excellent instance and lead by instance, then it is simpler for the remaining to observe and to match that degree,’ he stated.
The Indian group clinched the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26 title final month with a commanding 2-0 victory over hosts New Zealand within the remaining in Auckland.
Navneet Kaur opened the scoring earlier than Sunelita Toppo added a second purpose to seal the win. India additionally produced a disciplined defensive efficiency to protect their lead, securing the championship and incomes promotion again to the FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League for subsequent season.
However, Marijne stated the group nonetheless has room for enchancment, significantly in changing discipline possibilities into objectives and creating extra scoring alternatives. While he was happy with India’s sturdy defensive construction, which restricted the opponents to only one likelihood and one penalty nook within the remaining, he careworn that sustaining such defensive consistency will present a strong basis even on days when the group will not be at its greatest.
‘There are all the time areas to enhance; in any other case, it is getting boring, and one of many issues we will enhance is changing extra objectives out of the sector possibilities, but in addition creating alternatives from possibilities. And that’s one thing we will enhance. I feel within the remaining we have been we will create extra, however on the opposite aspect, the defensive construction was actually good. I used to be actually pleased with that as a result of that offers us a sort of primary degree that helps us to carry out even when we do not have our greatest day. And I’m not saying this concerning the remaining, however yeah, that they had just one likelihood and one PC. If we will do that each match, I feel it is good, it is actually good,’ he stated.
Marijne described the Asian Games squad as a well-balanced mixture of junior, skilled, and senior gamers, saying the chosen group gives the suitable mixture of personalities and potential after evaluating gamers over the previous 5 months by way of varied excursions and tournaments.
‘I feel it is a good mixture of juniors, skilled gamers and seniors, and that is the mixture I’m all the time looking for to seek out the suitable stability. We have been collectively for 5 months, a number of completely different gamers have their possibilities in excursions and tournaments, and we predict that is the correct mix of personalities and of potential of the gamers,’ he stated.
India’s 20-member squad for the twentieth Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026
Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam
Defenders: Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Lalthantluangi, Jyoti, Shilpi Dabas
Midfielders: Nikki Pradhan, Sakshi Rana, Sunelita Toppo, Salima Tete (C), Neha, Deepika Soreng
Forwards: Lalremsiami, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Navneet Kaur, Deepika, Ishika, Baljeet Kaur, Beauty Dungdung. (ANI)