New Delhi: The Indian women's hockey team's inability to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics was a major setback. They had qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, their first in 36 years, and then experienced a surge while competing for a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games, but they fell short in the playoff.

Then came the transition period, during which chief coach Sjoerd Marijne resigned and his assistant, Janneke Schopman, a fellow Dutchman, was unable to lead the team to Paris as they failed to qualify.

India is once more in a state of transition. Harendra Singh has assumed the coaching responsibilities, and the seniors' positions have been filled by young players. Goalkeeper Savita Punia has been replaced by Salima Tete as captain.

Harendra faces the challenge of reassembling the squad while also guaranteeing that it achieves key victories in order to recover. It begins with the Pro League's European leg, where they first face Australia in London on Saturday. India has only nine points (2 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses) from eight matches in the prestigious nine-team tournament with half the season gone.

However, India only has to place a specific way in the standings to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The next highest ranked team will qualify, with Germany having advanced through the 2023–24 Pro League, and Belgium and the Netherlands having qualified as co-hosts. The next opportunity for qualification will be at the Hangzhou Asia Cup from September 5 to 14, where the winners will qualify if India is not selected.

"The Pro League games will serve as warm-up matches for the Asia Cup," Additionally, there is a chance to get Pro League. "There are a lot of equations at play. Even if we finish in the top four, we can go to the World Cup," Harendra stated. Therefore, we keep that in mind. However, we will proceed one match at a time.

In order to guarantee qualification without having to wait until the World Cup Qualifiers in February-March 2026, following the experience prior to the Paris Games.

India entered the Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi as favorites after missing out on qualification by not winning the 2023 Asian Games gold. However, they were unsuccessful after failing to place in the top three.

“It's a good tournament, competing against the best teams in the world. One of our four opponents is an Olympic silver medalist (China), and another is a bronze medalist (Argentina). We've previously defeated Holland once, in Bhubaneswar in February. We performed well against Australia (in the bilateral series). We are able to do it. "We can certainly be a contender for (World Cup) qualifying in the Pro League" if we get better every day.

On June 14 and 15, India will play world number five Australia, and on June 17 and 18, they will play Argentina. The squad then goes to Antwerp to take on Belgium, the hosts and world No. 3, on June 21 and 22. They play China in Berlin on June 28 and 29.

"Well prior to our departure to Europe on May 28, we acclimatized." Therefore, it won't be difficult. Harendra stated, "The challenge will be how we can be a threat for our opponents in foreign countries with the mindset, energy, and the kind of hockey we want to play."

"We are familiar with the principle of play, we know one another, we are aware of the kind of training we have had, and we have also examined the opponents. It's time to move forward and produce solid outcomes one game at a time.

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