India, June 30 – Prior to his departure for Europe in late May, Harendra Singh had a positive outlook. The India women's head coach seemed optimistic about the team's prospects of making it to the 2026 World Cup through the Pro League, having missed out on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The optimism appeared to be well-founded. In the first half of the year, the team administration had worked hard at the national camps. The crew had received a fresh infusion of blood. A tour of Australia for friendly people was planned. Taeke Taekema, a legendary Dutch drag-flicker, was frequently brought in to coach India's penalty corner (PC) experts, and Deepika Sehrawat and Manisha Chauhan were sent to the Netherlands to receive instruction from renowned PC instructor Toon Siepman.

However, when the moment arrived to apply all of that, the team led by Salima Tete performed poorly and was unexpectedly demoted from the Pro League to the Nations Cup after coming last in the nine-team elite competition. India was relegated after 16 games over the course of five months, during which they only managed to win two, lose eleven, and tie three.

India lost seven of eight games in the European leg, as well as the shootout in the only tie they were able to manage against Argentina, who came in second and advanced to the World Cup. The Netherlands had already qualified as hosts but nevertheless won the league.

"Since you want to compete against the best, it's extremely unfavorable and crucial to avoid playing the Pro League. The Pro League is a great way to get better at hockey. "Playing international games that are significantly superior to any training session is crucial," former India head coach Sjoerd Marijne.

"You learn so much from it." The reason for its importance is that. For this reason, it is such a letdown that they were unable to pull it off. You're always under pressure in Pro League. Everything is about that, making it ideal for players to develop as a team and get ready for Olympic/World Cup qualification.

One of the main factors contributing to the recent success of the Indian men's team is the Pro League. The Harmanpreet Singh-led squad did not cower in the face of the world's finest, since the players were accustomed to facing the best players and challenging the best teams, which brought out the best in them. Therefore, India was the only country to win a medal at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. India has also established a significant lead over other Asian teams and defeated Australia in the Olympics for the first time in 52 years.

The women's squad, though, has been rather disappointing. An inability to capitalize on their opportunities was one of the main factors contributing to the collapse. Although the likes of Salima, Lalremsiami, and Sharmila Devi would frequently sprint in from the flanks, the half opportunities would be missed by the attacking midfielders and forwards.

The defense also performed poorly. India only managed to keep a clean sheet in one of the 16 games, even though Savita Punia is an experienced goalkeeper. India scored 22 goals but gave up a massive 43, with several of the young defenders being overpowered by the opposing strikers and failing to hold their position.

"There was no desire to win. This is a quality that has to be evident on the field. I thought the ladies were not giving it their all. Their goal in playing wasn't to win. This is a major setback, particularly for the children and their prospects. 

The Hangzhou Asia Cup in September will be India's next opportunity to

"Now, the top priority is to be eligible for the World Cup. I would now concentrate on playing more games against Asian teams and learning what you will be up against at the Asia Cup. As a coach, I would be less concerned about Europe and the best teams in the world,".

The Asia Cup will be a difficult challenge. Despite India's victories in the previous two Asian Champions Trophy events, they will be competing against the host nation of China, who defeated them in the Pro League and took home silver at the Paris Games.

Read Also: MS Dhoni Registers ‘Captain Cool’ as a Trademark

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!