India’s women’s hockey team finished fifth at the World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. After Harendra Singh left, Sjoerd Marijne returned in January to lead the side. Forward Navneet Kaur said, "We have changed that mindset from then to now." The team now aims for gold at the Asian Games.
After India won silver at the Asian Cup in September 2025, losing to China 4-1 in the final, the road ahead looked uncertain for the women's team. Harendra Singh stepped down as head coach out of the blue, with the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching.
Hockey India, then, opted for the pragmatic choice of reinstating Sjoerd Marijne in January this year to lead the side out of the hole it found itself in. The Dutchman, who had inspired the women's team to a rare fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, had just two months to devise a plan to secure a World Cup berth with a new-look Indian team.
India secured qualification despite losing the final to England, then continued to build steam for important assignments in the year ahead.
The biggest boost came with a triumphant FIH Nations Cup campaign in New Zealand, which earned India a spot in the 2026-27 Pro League after its relegation in 2025.
But even after these performances, not many expected the side, ranked no. 9 in the world, to progress into the second round of the World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. Marijne had entrusted the youth, including 10 first-time World Cuppers, to come good despite tough first-round matches against China and England.
Marijne's faith reaped rewards in the opening game, where India held China to a superb 2-2 draw that set the tone for the weeks to come. "In the past meetings, sometimes it did creep up in your mind that, 'They have an Olympic silver, you wonder how good they will be,'" India forward Navneet Kaur admitted. "We have changed that mindset from then to now," adding, "it doesn't matter who is first or last, we need to play our game against every team."
India's disciplined defensive display across the World Cup helped it finish fifth, its best finish since the inaugural edition in 1972.
While the defensive solidity infused the group with renewed faith, the attack was found wanting after goalless displays against higher-ranked nations like Netherlands, England and Australia. A goal in the second-round game against the Aussies proved to be the difference between playing for fifth and sixth and reaching the semifinals.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on a last-four spot, players remained bullish about India's chances of dethroning China and winning the gold medal at the Asian Games.
After the World Cup, Marijne heaped praise on the current group, saying the class of 2026 had better quality and balance than his Tokyo Olympics group.
"More of them speak English, I think the quality talent-wise is a little bit better than in 2021. We had more or less a lot of seniors but also experienced players. We didn't have so much youth so that balance is now also very good. They really are pushing themselves and I think that is what I really like at the moment," Marijne told Sportstar.
The team backed up that billing on the pitch in Japan, romping to the gold medal in style. India outscored all teams, raking up 69 goals - the most it has managed in 12 editions of the continental Games, while winning all seven outings.
While Navneet Kaur was India's first-choice Penalty Corner (PC) taker at the World Cup, her junior Deepika has firmly dislodged her at the Asiad, with a staggering 19 of her 21 goals coming from short corners, compared with Navneet's two.
The injection of youth in the form of Ishika, Rutuja Pisal, Baljeet Kaur, Sakshi Rana and Sunelita Toppo in the wings and midfield has provided much-needed work-rate and directness, both on and off the ball, allowing Navneet and Lalremsiami to thrive inside the 25-yard circle.
India dispatched the lower-ranked teams in the group stage with ease before facing its first big test in the semifinal against a stubborn South Korea. Despite its dominance on the ball, India found the breakthrough from a PC variation before doubling the lead.
It was not going to be an easy task against defending champion China, which India had failed to beat in its last five meetings. Just like in the previous two encounters between the sides, India took the lead, scoring the first goal China had conceded in the tournament. But on those occasions, India could not build on its advantage as China came back strongly, beating India in last year's Asia Cup final before holding it to a 2-2 draw in the World Cup.
This time, though, was different. Even though China dominated the ball, India seemed to have learned from its experience, not allowing the world no. 4 side to have clear-cut chances inside the circle. China's biggest chance to draw level came from the Penalty Stroke in the second quarter, but Savita Punia made a stunning save to keep India ahead.
While Marijne's predecessor missed Savita's services due to injury, the 36-year-old has yet again underscored her value in recent months while sharing goalkeeping duties with Bichu Devi. In the semifinals and finals, Bichu has started the matches, before Savita has come in to close out games in the second and fourth quarters.
China's dominance continued in the third and fourth quarters, but India's defence, led by Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu and Nikki Pradhan, continued to frustrate Alyson Annan's side and hold on for a historic gold medal - India's first in 42 years and a direct qualification for the LA Olympics in 2028.
Amidst the euphoria of having clinched the biggest achievements of their careers, the players promptly picked up Marijne and tossed him in the air in celebration to give him due credit for this turnaround.
Amidst the euphoria of having clinched the biggest achivements of their careers, the players promptly picked up Marijne and tossed him in the air in celebration to give him due credit for this turnaround.
After all, the result could kickstart a much-needed turnaround for the women's game.