FIH Pro League: Indian team ready for tough matches in Europe, says Harendra
With the second half of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 fast approaching, Harendra Singh, head coach of the Indian women's hockey team, is charting the course for his team currently situated in sixth place on the points table.
According to Harendra, the Indian team did reasonably well in the home leg of the FIH Pro League and is getting ready to take on some tough opponents in Europe.
"The upcoming matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Europe will see the Indian women's hockey team play some tough opponents, and the team is definitely ready for it. When we go into the FIH Hockey Pro League in Europe, it will be after our tour of Australia, which is a great form of preparation, because match-practice and game time are both very valuable and will always benefit any team," Harendra told the FIH in an interview in the buildup for the next stage in the Pro League.
Harendra said his players will benefit from the experience of playing in the home leg of the Pro League, which included a massive shootout win against World No.1 and Olympic champion Netherlands.
"The team did well in the home leg, especially the shootout win against the Netherlands was a massive confidence booster for the team. And as we go into the European leg, the experience and knowledge from the previous phase will definitely benefit the team. We will be playing across three different venues in London, Antwerp and Berlin during this time, and the team is working hard.
With India set to play Australia, Argentina, Belgium and China in the Pro League, Harendra said going into the league, soon after a tour of Australia, would hold his team in good stead.
"Coming from the Australian tour and straight into the FIH Pro League is surely going to be beneficial, but the games in Europe will also be very different in every sense of it.
"Australia, Argentina, Belgium and China are all good teams and we aren't taking anything for granted, no matter what the situation is. Our preparations for the FIH Hockey Pro League are moving along at a good pace and we will continue to work towards our goals," said Harendra.
The India women's team coach will have to improve its position in the league and remain in the elite competition. The team has lost a lot of steam after the high of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2010 and remaining in the FIH Pro League will help them get more matches against top opponents in future and get back to where they were.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Surprising that Shastri has been omitted from list of names commemorated at Wankhede Stadium: Shishir Hattangadi
Mumbai: Former cricketer Ravi Shastri (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) Mumbai: Former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi has urged the Mumbai Cricket Association to name something at the iconic Wankhede Stadium after former India all-rounder, famous commentator and ex-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri . In a letter (TOI has a copy) to MCA president Ajinkya Naik on Saturday (June 7), Hattangadi, an ex-Mumbai opener, has expressed his "surprise and concern at the omission of Ravi Shastri, former India captain, all-rounder, and national coach, from the list of names commemorated at the stadium." Hattangadi, a former Bombay opener, has written that "Shastri's legacy is well known—not just the iconic feat of hitting six sixes in an over in a first-class game, following in the footsteps of Sir Gary Sobers—but also for his impactful career as a player and his significant role in shaping modern Indian cricket as a coach." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On May 16, the MCA had named stands at the Wankhede Stadium after India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma, former India captain Ajit Wadekar and ex-BCCI president Sharad Pawar. The venue also has stands named after cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar (there's also a special box for him), Sachin Tendulkar and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar . In his letter (TOI has a copy), Hattangadi has written, "Dear president, I write to you not only as a former player but as someone who has proudly served Mumbai cricket for over a decade. Those of us who have emerged from this great city—be it from school, club, junior levels, Ranji Trophy, or eventually representing India—deeply cherish the legacy, tradition, and culture that Mumbai cricket has built over generations. " "The contribution of Mumbai to Indian cricket is monumental. It is something we, as part of the cricketing fraternity, carry with immense pride. Every name etched on the stadium walls—be it senior or junior—stands as a testament to the rich history we are privileged to be part of. These honours are not merely symbolic but serve as permanent markers of inspiration and respect. Virat Kohli's love for 'dhaba' food, priority for family & more | RCB bus driver shares stories "It is in this spirit that I must express my surprise and concern at the omission of Ravi Shastri, former India captain, all-rounder, and national coach, from the list of names commemorated at the stadium. His legacy is well known—not just the iconic feat of hitting six sixes in an over in a first-class game, following in the footsteps of Sir Gary Sobers—but also for his impactful career as a player and his significant role in shaping modern Indian cricket as a coach. This omission, intentional or not, overlooks a major chapter in Mumbai and Indian cricket's story. I do not wish to delve into statistics, as Shastri's legacy is not just in numbers but in the influence he has had on the game—both on and off the field." Hattangadi concludes his letter by writing, "As someone who deeply respects the administration and its role in preserving the sport's heritage, I urge the MCA to re-examine this oversight. A richer understanding of cricket's history and the personalities that shaped it will only strengthen our future. With warm regards and continued respect." 'This is an observation and not a political statement,' he added. Quiz: Who's that IPL player? In Jan last year, Shastri was honored with the prestigious Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Awards 2024 in Hyderabad. Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for India, scoring 6938 runs, including 15 hundreds, besides picking 280 wickets in international cricket. The left-arm spinner was part of India's World Cup triumph in 1983 and the 1985 Champions of Champions triumph. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Post his retirement, Shastri took over commentary duties and was the crisis man for the BCCI in terms of the senior national men's team. He was roped in by the BCCI as the team director in 2014-15 and then became the side's head coach. He enjoyed a second stint as India's head coach from 2017-21. Shastri enjoyed a successful working relationship with former India captain Virat Kohli , as the two icons went on to shape India into one of the better travelling Test teams. As a TV commentator, Shastri has been one of the most sought-after men behind the microphone, and was famously on air when MS Dhoni hit the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Ponting speaks on Gill's captaincy appointment in Tests, his best position in red-ball cricket
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 7 (ANI): Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said that the move to hand over Indian red-ball captaincy to youngster Shubman Gill was a 'right move' and 'leadership sits well with him' given his fine run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Gujarat Titans. Gill will be leading a new-look Indian team for five-match tour of England from June 20 onwards. The tour will kickstart the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle for India and will be their first series since the retirement of senior legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill was made the new Test captain ahead of the series, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, one of the strongest contenders for captaincy, could not land the position due to injury and workload issues. The decision to hand Gill the captaincy ahead of more senior players like Jasprit Bumrah or Rishabh Pant did not surprise Ponting, with the Australian legend believing the 25-year-old can flourish in the role at Test level. 'I actually think it is the right move,' Ponting told The ICC Review as quoted by ICC. 'I know there is a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they cannot understand why it was not Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it is pretty simple.' 'Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years, and you do not want that with a captain. You cannot have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's the right decision.' 'Now that they have made it, it is one they have got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for a long period of time. Even just looking back at the way he has handled this current GT (Gujarat Titans) team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him.' 'And the important thing for me with leadership as well as if you're a batter and you are a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL and I think the timing is right and I think you will have a good captain who'll make a lot of Test runs going forward,' he concluded. While Gill took GT to playoffs (eliminated in the eliminator after loss to Mumbai Indians) and scored 650 runs with six fifties striking at well above 155, it his Test record which has attracted scrutiny, scoring 1,893 runs in 32 Tests at an average of 35.05, with five centuries and seven fifties in 59 innings. Since his iconic 91 at Gabba to hand Australia a series loss in 2021, Gill has not touched 40 runs in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) conditions, scoring 255 in 15 innings at an average of 17.00. However, Ponting feels that if Gill is played at number four to protect him from the new ball, India can get the best out of him. 'I think (Sai) Sudarshan and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal will open the batting (in England) as Sudarshan just looks like a class player to me and technically I think he could do well at Test level,' Ponting said. 'They will have two pretty young opening batters, so they might look to go for someone with a bit more experience at No.3.' 'Whether that is KL (Rahul) or Karun (Nair) at No.3, Shubman might end up being that No.4 player, which will probably make life for him a little bit easier as a captain as well. Not having to open or bat at No.3 as a young captain might make it easier. Their top five will probably be Sudarshan, Jaiswal, KL, Gill and Karun Nair for the start of the England series,' he concluded. At number three, Gill has made 1,019 runs in 17 Tests at an average of 37.74, with three tons and fifties each in 30 innings. The series will be held from June to August 2025, with matches scheduled at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Top KSCA officials resign citing
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): Top senior officials of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam, tendered their resignations from their posts, taking 'moral responsibility' for the stampede that took place near M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team's felicitation after winning their Indian Premier League (IPL) title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a tight final on Tuesday. As per ESPNCricinfo, the resignation has been submitted to the president of the board, Raghuram Bhat. Also in Bengaluru, CID officials paid a visit to KSCA office, with the state government having ordered a CID probe into the stampede case. As per ESPNCricinfo, the stampede left 11 people dead and several others injured. Communicating to KSCA on Friday night, both Shankar and Jairam wrote as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, 'Due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days, and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as secretary and treasurer of the KSCA.' The Bengaluru Police also filed a first information report (FIR) against the popular IPL franchise on Thursday, as per ESPNCricinfo. The police have said that RCB was not given permission to conduct the event at the stadium. RCB has been listed as the first accused in the FIR, along with DNA Entertainment, the franchise's event partners, and the KSCA, which is in control of the stadium. On Friday, the cops also confirmed the arrest of RCB's marketing and revenue head Nikhil Sosale, while acting on directives of newly appointed police commissioner SK Singh, who took over after his predecessor was removed by the chief minister Siddaramaiah after the incident. Later that day, a writ petition was filed by KSCA, arguing that the FIR against them was a move made under pressure of state government by the police and hence a 'knee-jerk' reaction. KSCA said that the stampede was caused due to an unexpected crowd surge and no intent or motive could be attributed to the petitioners. They also stressed that the crowd management was a responsibility which lied with the franchise's management, event organisers and the police. The council defending the state's cricket governing body also raised concerns about arrest of Sosale, claiming that it indicated a targetted approach. Sosale also approached the Karnataka High Court and challenged his arrest, as per Bar and Bench, an Indian legal news platform. RCB is yet to issue an official statement on Sosale's arrest, though on Thursday, they announced compensation worth Rs 10 lakh for family of each deceased and also pledged to cover the medical expenses of those who sustained injuries. (ANI)
