It is all about handling nerves and positioning, says Harendra

Harendra Singh's effect is clear every time the Indian women's hockey team steps on to the pitch now.

- Sandip Sikdar

NEW DELHI: The Salima Tete-led outfit is aggressive, with spurts of counterattacks down the flanks. The tactics resemble that of the Australia team. But that should come as no surprise considering that the India chief coach idolises Aussie great Ric Charlesworth's methods.

It has been a year since Harendra took over the team, after the low of the Indian women failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics, having promised a resurgence at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics by finishing fourth. A youthful team is now slowly coming together as a unit ahead of bigger tests.

"We are a very good team, you can see that from the outside. This is a team which wants to look aggressive," Harendra told HT. "But if you start giving respect to the opponent, when you play half-court, when you give them time to play, then our team is a bit vulnerable. We have to learn match management."

Soon after taking over, Harendra took the team to Europe midway through the Pro League season last year. India lost all eight matches in Antwerp and London in May-June 2024, which showed the enormity of the task he faced.