Hockey
Why Indian women are one of the most feared teams in world hockey
The Indian women are going to Tokyo Olympics as the highest-ranked team in Asia thanks to a series of performances that exceeded expectations.
Despite being the third lowest-ranked side in the competition, the Indian women's hockey team has done the unthinkable. The Rani Rampal led side has defeated Australia and etched their name in the history of the sport by reaching the semifinals of the Olympics for the first time in Tokyo. They have displayed time and again that quality and grit are two attributes that they are seldom short of when the going gets tough.
Having risen to the ninth position in the FIH world rankings in August 2018, ahead of continental rivals China and South Korea, the Indian eves became the highest-ranked team in Asia thanks to a series of performances that exceeded expectations.
Not being part of the FIH Pro League may well have cost Sjoerd Marijne's side to slide one rung in the rankings, but seated as they are in the tenth spot ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Indians remain one of the most feared teams in world hockey.
Indian women have gone further than expected at Tokyo 2020
Ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games semi-final against Australia at Gold Coast, the Australian media dubbed the clash as the "toughest yet'' for the home team and lauded the Indians for having put up a fighting performance following the 0-1 defeat. But the Australian media will not disagree with the fact that the quarterfinal match against India at Tokyo Olympics was their toughest match ever in their Olympics history.
More than ever before, the time has now come for the eves to display their mettle on the biggest stage of all, while being up against the odds in the semifinal against Argentina
On Wednesday, the Indians will square off against Argentina in a clash that will be anything but a lung opener.
Apart from Rani Rampal, a lot of hopes will be pinned on goalkeeper Savita Punia.
The Indian Eves has punched way above their weight to hand Australia this defeat and scripting the greatest underdog story in the Tokyo Olympics. Never before this, such a thing has happened. with a team where 50% are making their debut in the Olympics, it has been a dream come true.
Progressing to the quarterfinals - was tough, but not impossible
Although, the Indians lost their first three games against, Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain, they bounced back against Ireland and South Africa to reach the knockout stage.
The Indians will, no doubt, draw inspiration from Ireland - a team that were ranked 16th, before the Women's World Cup that went on to reach the finals much to the astonishment of the hockey world.
The Irish girls displayed by virtue of their exploits in London, how open the women's game could be, and their close quarterfinal against India is a testament to the fact that Sjoerd Marijne's team could have gone the same distance had luck favored them a trifle more.
The Indians subsequently beat the World Cup silver medallists on tour a couple of years back, extracting sweet revenge for the loss at London 2018, where the girls had very nearly got the better of hosts England.
Three draws, a win, and a loss in a five-match series, in 2019, against the Rio Olympic champions was no mean feat and proved beyond doubt that India's performance against GB at the World Cup was no flash in the pan.
Marijne's team have an encouraging record against Group B rivals
A quarterfinal place, for Marijne's team, opened up a host of possibilities to progress further as the Indians have an encouraging record against four out of the six teams in Group B.
Consistent wins over China and Japan (with the exception of the loss to the Japanese in the Asian Games final) and a 1-1 draw against Spain in a four-match series in 2019, is what gives Sjoerd Marijne the confidence that anything is possible once the team makes it to the knockouts.
The time has now come for the eves to display their mettle on the biggest stage of all.
With the exception of New Zealand, whom the Indian girls haven't faced lately, and Argentina, who are a class apart, having beaten even the Netherlands in the 2020 Hockey Pro League, Rani and co will fancy their chances of getting past every other side in Group B.
Scientific Advisor, Wayne Lombard's persistence with assisting the girls with their strength, fitness, and stamina has paid off in no small measure – and, who knows, the Indian eves may go a lot further than they are currently expected to.
Getting to the knock-out stage, seemingly, appears more difficult than going beyond, and a place in the semifinal ensures that the girls have the backing of an entire nation to take them on to heights yet unclimbed in the annals of Indian women's hockey.
