Before the FIH Hockey Pro League home leg started, India coach Janneke Schopman wanted to see whether, against some of the best teams in the world, her side can still show they can compete.
But carrying on from the heartbreak in Ranchi – where India fell short of qualifying for the Paris Olympics – their Pro League campaign has been off to a disappointing start as they suffered their third straight defeat on Wednesday.
Australia were the latest to hand India a defeat as they prevailed 3-0 against Savita Punia and Co in Bhubaneshwar to keep India rooted close to the bottom of the table on their return to the multi-nation tournament. A 1-3 loss against the Netherlands – the absolute powerhouses in women’s hockey, currently holding all the major titles – is nothing to be ashamed of but on either side of it, there were worrying performances.
Coming so close to the reversal in Ranchi, the Pro League campaign was always going to be tricky for Schopman: firstly to pick up a squad reeling from the hurt, secondly to effect enough changes to make a difference against quality sides who are all heading for Paris. The second aspect has meant that, despite some fresh additions to the squad, the script haspanned out largely similar to what we saw unfold at the Olympic Qualifiers.