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          Women's Asian Champions Trophy: India ace difficult moments, unearth new midfield star in near-perfect title win

          India won all seven games in the women's Asian Champions Trophy. Adimazes/HockeyIndia
          • Anish Anand
          Nov 20, 2024, 11:37 AM ET

          A perfect seven out of seven.

          The revamped Indian women's hockey team under Harendra Singh won all their matches at the Asian Champions Trophy to defend their title in Rajgir, Bihar. Facing the Olympic silver medallists China in the final, Deepika scored the only goal of the match as the team's defence stood up under pressure and ensured they won their first trophy under the new captaincy of Salima Tete.

          It was a richly deserved trophy for India as they were clearly the best team of the tournament, but this is just the start of a long journey towards Los Angeles 2028. There were positives but this team is still a work in progress.

          Here are a few key takeaways:

          India found consistency, scored goals

          ... and more importantly, they didn't panic when the going got tough. One of Harendra's key objectives was to ensure India maintain their calm and improve their decision-making in key moments, especially inside the circle. Over seven matches, India have produced evidence that they have made improvements. They scored the most goals in the tournament (29), but what was really impressive was that they got the goals when they needed them the most.

          In the two group matches against China and Japan and later in the semifinal and final against the same teams, India couldn't convert their chances in the first-half. However, they found ways to score in these matches and also ensured they didn't get frustrated and concede. All the four matches were not easy, but they still ended up scoring nine goals.

          Last year, on multiple occasions, they crumbled under pressure and made mistakes. It proved very costly in the Olympic Qualifiers which crushed their dream of going to Paris. Mistakes, especially when things were not going their way, didn't happen this time and India persisted to turn things around.

          It's clear that the players and Harendra have worked on this issue. Sure, tougher tests will come and teams like China and Japan came to Bihar without their regular set of internationals. Nonetheless, India delivered when it mattered, and the title will go a big way in boosting the confidence of the players.

          Sunelita Toppo, a world class midfielder in the making

          There are players who will take the plaudits after the title. Deepika deserves credit for scoring 11 goals in the tournament. Sangita Kumari and Preeti Dubey contributed with key field goals while captain Salima Tete was outstanding when she had the ball. The most impressive Indian player in the tournament, however, was 17-year-old Sunelita.

          Playing alongside her captain as a support to the forwards, Sunelita was a livewire in the middle, with speed and control that defined the status of a world class midfielder. The prime example of her prowess was seen in the semifinal against Japan where she blazed through the defence and entered the circle from the right flank before passing to Lalremsiami who scored India's second goal to seal the match.

          In all seven matches, Sunelita has shown she can hold the ball under pressure and find space to carry it forward. There's a reason why she was sold for Rs 24 lakh in the Hockey India League auction to the Delhi franchise. Harendra spoke about giving freedom to the young players, Sunelita certainly made most of it on the pitch with her performances. She might not have the goals right now but she's the kind of player this team needs the most.

          Penalty corner conversion still a big issue

          India earned a total of 59 penalty corner chances out of which only 11 were scored directly. Out of the 11, five came against Thailand, a match they won 13-0.

          Deepika, the only proper dragflick expert in the team, delivered to some extent but she didn't get much support from anybody else. It was also frustrating to see mistakes on the traps in multiple matches. Sushila Chanu, otherwise solid as a defender in the tournament, was the designated stopper but made many errors on her traps. The likes of Udita and Navneet couldn't do much from penalty corners and India's variations also didn't work for most of the tournament.

          It has been an issue preceding Harendra's reign. They have been working on this since last year but with hardly any improvement. As India play better teams in the Pro League and other big tournaments, they should make it count from penalty corners.

          It's one area they have been struggling at for a long time. A good opportunity will come in the Hockey India League where the players will watch and learn from their foreign teammates and coaches.

          India need more from Navneet and Sharmila

          Navneet Kaur and Sharmila Devi have been part of the national setup for quite some time now -- both have played under previous coaches Sjoerd Marijne and Janneke Schopman. Navneet is also the vice-captain of the team and an important forward. She did score three goals, including a crucial field goal against Japan in the group stage but compared to Deepika, Sangita and Preeti, she was underwhelming.

          Playing centrally in the attacking third and also being the penalty corner expert when Deepika was not on, Navneet was guilty of missing chances. There's no doubt that she's a key player for India's future, at least till 2028. Her experience in big matches is vital but it is important that Navneet also hits the note consistently.

          Similarly, Sharmila was disappointing with her attacking play. She is quick on the ball, which plays to the strengths of Harendra's style, but her decision-making needs work. She has also been guilty of losing balls during attacking transitions and failed to get on the scoresheet throughout the tournament. If there's no progress, she might be left out of India's core.