Indian women team’s Olympic dream shattered after loss to Japan

Ranchi: The Indian women’s hockey team’s Olympics qualification went up in smoke against Japan as the hosts lost 0-1 in Ranchi on Friday. The lone goal scored by Karan Urata was enough for Japan to secure the Paris Olympic berth even as the Indian girls were left shedding tears.

After the highs of the semi-final match, where India played their hearts out before losing to Germany on Thursday, the way India played in the third-place playoff match was below par.

As much as one can sympathise and say the girls put in their best efforts, reality is the inability to convert penalty corners galore was shocking. Captain Savita Punia was distraught and coach Janneke Schopman will also realise her days in India will be numbered.

When India failed to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, there was turmoil at home. After that, the team did win the Asian Champions Trophy at home in Ranchi, but failure to clinch an Olympic berth will hurt all. Agreed, this side was without a few key players and the absence of Vandana Katariya was felt. But the way the youth and seasoned players forged a potent combination in the league phase suggested that this Indian side could pull it off. These qualifiers were easy but the way the penalty corner conversion rate sank so low was a shocker. Unfortunately, players like Salima Tete and Udita, who played their hearts out in the tournament, would feel maximum pain. How and why the attack and the frontline failed is a sad story. The fact India attacked right through even in closing minutes looked nice but not finding the goal was very disappointing.

India played in two successive Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and finished fourth in Tokyo in 2021. From that high level to not qualify is a shocker, where no excuse will work. No doubt, the girls will get support from the Indian government and preparation for the next Asian Games in 2026 will begin. However, coach Schopman and the Hockey India think-tank must also take the blame. Hockey India had entrusted the penalty corner coaching job to Rupinder Pal Singh. Going by the results, it is sad he has failed to deliver. What is even more surprising is the Japan hockey team was coached by an Indian, Jude Menezes. It goes to show that hiring a foreign coach does not always guarantee results.

Certainly, this will be the end of the road for many players and their Olympic careers will come to a

screeching halt.

This is sport, where the unpredictable factor comes into play. For the hordes of fans in Ranchi who turned out, this was a sad evening as well.

The think-tank will do well to focus on the future and see how the next generation can be groomed.

The Indian junior girls did badly in the junior World Cup very recently. There is no base to build on, which needs to be addressed.