The Indian women's hockey team went to Europe expecting to compete and stay alive in the FIH Pro League; but with zero outright wins and seven losses from eight matches, Harendra Singh's side has been relegated to the FIH Nations League. In a league featuring nine of the best teams in the world, India, who faced the likes of Australia, Argentina, Belgium and China, finished bottom with just 10 points, four behind eighth-placed England after 16 matches.
So, what went wrong?
Salima Tete and co. did compete on the pitch, had their moments between quarters but just didn't do enough to clinch any victory. What was a glaring issue (and it has been for quite some time) is that when India had to raise their level during crunch moments, be it defensively or while attacking, they failed to do it.
What, specifically, did go wrong?
To start with, India's performance in the final quarters of games. In the second match against Australia, they conceded a goal from a penalty corner in the final minute to lose 2-1. In Argentina's 4-1 win, India were 1-2 down with six minutes to go but conceded twice, again to penalty corners. Against Belgium in the first leg, India were 1-2 down with six minutes to go but conceded thrice to penalty corners and a stroke. In their final game against China, the score was 2-2 but India conceded via a penalty corner in the 53rd minute to lose 3-2.
When India's opponents increased their tempo in the final quarters, the Harendra Singh-coached defence couldn't cope and ended up giving away penalty corners and subsequently, goals. In the remaining few minutes, the attack couldn't push enough to create or score, resulting in defeats.
In the other quarters, the team showed intensity, created a few chances and also scored but their response under time and score pressure wasn't good enough. It was an issue under previous head coach Janneke Schopman and it still persists under Harendra Singh.
When India's opponents upped the ante, the tackles inside the circle went missing. Often the stick was not low enough to prevent the ball from hitting their foot and then the penalty corner defence was ordinary at best. Before the crucial games against China, when India still had the chance of survival, Harendra spoke about not conceding soft goals. He identified the pattern, and it seemed the team worked on it, but things went for a toss when it mattered. India did concede soft goals, again to penalty corners. Out of the six goals China scored across two matches, five came from penalty corners.
How India went about their penalty corner defence left plenty to be desired. Both China and Belgium showed enough evidence from their previous games that they would attempt PC variations. Whether Harendra identified it or not, India were clearly unprepared for said variations and were unable to prevent those goals. It wasn't just the defenders who were at fault. As a team, as a unit, India's defence faltered and the fault also lies with the coaching staff.
When Harendra took charge following Schopman's departure, he had two goals - improve the team's fitness levels and then their decision-making, especially inside the circle. The first of those two goals has been somewhat successful, as India's work rate has been good. Even youngsters who are coming into the senior setup have shown fitness levels matching international standards but with regard to the second goal, there is work to be done.
When India penetrate the circle, searching to create chances or score, there is a visible lack of composure among the attackers. There was a particular moment in the first game against China. India, down 2-0, had been playing well in the third quarter. They pushed China all the way, constantly bombarding the circle but it led to nothing. China had a break in the 45th minute, all it took was three passes from defence to attack and with one touch, Anhui Yu scored to make it 3-0. This wasn't a solitary instance, but a pattern that repeated throughout India's time in Europe.
For Harendra and the coaching staff, the task is to convert India's intensity into efficiency in the attacking phase. And in defence, the same intensity should convert into composure.
What's the impact of relegation?
Due to relegation, India will not play next season's Pro League - which means they will miss out on quality matches against the best hockey teams. They will have to make their way to the Pro League once more by winning the FIH Nations Cup, which they did under Schopman that resulted in this season's Pro League participation.
It's pertinent to point out that this is still a young squad and they do lack experience at the biggest stage. But the best way to gain experience is by playing international matches against higher quality Pro League opponents. Harendra will regret missing the chance of staying in the league - especially when England and Germany struggled this season.
Playing the Pro League would've also helped in India's preparations for the World Cup next year. They haven't qualified yet, which they would want to by winning the Asia Cup in Hangzhou this September.
What's next?
As mentioned above, the team's next task is the Asia Cup. It's going to be a tough one considering China will be favourites to win. If India want to take a shot at the title, Harendra should look to make massive improvements. One positive from India's Pro League journey is that a young squad had the experience of playing tough matches away from home. It ought to help in the Asia Cup, but If India don't make it to the World Cup via that route, then they will have to play a qualification tournament next year. And we know what happened the last time India (W) were in a high-stakes qualification tournament.