How Manisha made it: Cricket mat 'jugaad' and the drag-flick

Midfielder is central to India chief coach Harendra's plan of building a sturdy group of drag-flickers

- Sandip Sikdar

Watching fellow drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat punch in goal-after-goal to score five, Manisha Chauhan didn't want to be left behind. In the last five minutes of the round robin clash against Thailand, the 25-year-old also sounded the board twice to help the Indian women's hockey team win 13-0 in Rajgir on Friday.

The two goals were also the first of Manisha's career, playing in only her fifth international. Even though the goals came against world No.29 Thailand - the lowest ranked team in the Asian Champions Trophy - they were a tremendous boost to the midfielder's confidence, who made her debut in May.

Central to chief coach Harendra Singh's plan of building a sturdy group of drag-flickers with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind, Manisha is currently being seen as the team's second battery after Deepika in penalty corners (PC). Hailing from Uttarakhand, Manisha's strengths are drag-flicks and aerial balls which saw her rise quickly up the ladder in the domestic circuit. "I also play in the midfield which makes my passing skills and tackling in defence very important," says Manisha.