India must keep improving despite Nations Cup success, says Coach Sjoerd Marijne

Fresh off their unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 2026 FIH Women's Nations Cup, Indian women's hockey team head coach Sjoerd Marijne has stressed that the side cannot afford to stand still despite securing promotion to the FIH Pro League.

Addressing the media alongside captain Salima Tete, Marijne highlighted goal conversion as one of the key areas that require improvement ahead of a busy international calendar featuring the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup and the Asian Games.

"We create enough opportunities in every match, but we need to convert more of those chances into goals," Marijne said. "At the same time, I am very happy with our defensive structure. We hardly gave away opportunities in the final and that discipline is the foundation of our game."

India defeated hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the Nations Cup final after an impressive unbeaten run that included victories over the USA, Japan, Uruguay and a 6-0 demolition of Chile in the semi-finals.

Looking ahead to the World Cup and Asian Games, Marijne insisted the team's focus remains on continuous improvement rather than specific tournament outcomes.

"We take it step by step. The focus is on what India needs to do better and how we want to play. Every match is an opportunity to learn and improve," he said.

The Dutch coach also praised the culture within the squad, pointing to the strong bond between senior and junior players.

"There is openness, connection and a willingness to help each other. The senior players have taken leadership roles and created a positive environment where everyone can be themselves," he said.

Captain Salima Tete echoed those sentiments while praising forward Deepika, who finished as one of the tournament's joint-highest scorers.

"After returning from injury, Deepika has shown tremendous character. We have complete faith in her abilities. She has speed, skill and the support of the entire team," Salima said.

The skipper also credited the Hockey India League for helping young players gain exposure and compete for national team spots.

With India now set to return to the FIH Pro League in the 2026-27 season, Marijne believes the team is closing the gap on the world's top sides.

"We are better than the second rung of teams, but the next step is consistently competing with the top nations. We have shown in practice matches that we can match them, but now we need to prove it on the world stage," he said.

India will next enter a four-week training block before beginning preparations for the World Cup and Asian Games, where a direct qualification spot for the LA 2028 Olympics will be at stake.