Indian Women’s Hockey Team Gear Up for Crucial Five-Match Test Tour in Australia

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After wrapping up an intensive month-long national training camp in Bengaluru, the Indian Women's Hockey Team is set to kick off a five-match tour of Australia, beginning April 26.

The series, scheduled to run till May 4, will see the Indian side take on both the Australia A team and the senior Australian national squad at the Perth Hockey Stadium.

India will open the tour against the Australia A team on April 26 and 27 before facing the formidable World No. 5 senior Australian team in three matches on May 1, 2, and 4.

This international outing comes on the heels of India's campaign in the FIH Hockey Pro League (Women), where they experienced a mixed run at home. The highlight of their Pro League stint was a memorable win via shootout over reigning World No. 1, the Netherlands, after holding them to a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

Head Coach Harendra Singh has named a strong 26-player squad for the tour, led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur. Young drag-flicker Deepika, who was in red-hot form during the Pro League with three goals, is expected to play a pivotal role once again. Defender Udita Singh also impressed with two goals across four games and is likely to be crucial at the back.

Veteran goalkeeper Savita, who recently reached the milestone of 300 international appearances, remains a cornerstone of India's defensive line and brings a wealth of experience to the squad.

In addition to the established core, five new faces - Jyoti Singh, Sujata Kujur, Ajmina Kujur, Pooja Yadav, and Mahima Tete - have been handed their first senior call-ups. These rising talents could potentially make their international debut during the series.

Australia has traditionally held the upper hand in head-to-head clashes, having won 10 of the 16 meetings between the two teams, with three ending in a draw. However, India's recent 1-0 win over the Australians in the 2023-24 Pro League proves the contest is far more balanced in current times.

Looking ahead to the challenge, captain Salima Tete said, "We are excited to play here in Perth and we believe we are well-prepared to win matches against Australia. All the girls have been working extremely hard and we will give it our all against both the Australia A and the senior team. I am also looking forward to seeing how the young players and debutants in our squad will perform. This series is a good chance for us to assess our performance ahead of the FIH Pro League matches coming ahead in Europe."

Echoing her thoughts, head coach Harendra Singh added, "The girls have worked extremely hard in the month-long training camp we had in Bengaluru. I believe this squad is capable of defeating any opponent and we are determined to win matches in this series. Playing Australia in their home is surely a challenging task, but we are up for it."

With high stakes and new talent entering the mix, the upcoming series promises to be a valuable test for the Indian side as they build momentum ahead of their next Pro League fixtures in Europe.