Captain Salima Tete, Sunelita Toppo embody India’s growing belief ahead of Women’s Hockey World Cup | Hockey News

NEW DELHI: There is a quiet confidence surrounding the Indian women’s hockey team these days. Not only because they lifted the FIH Nations Cup in New Zealand, earning promotion back to the FIH Pro League, but because the squad believes it has finally found a balance between youth, experience, and structure.Captain Salima Tete and rising forward Sunelita Toppo are two faces of that change. For Salim, who takes over as captain in 2023, leadership is a journey of growth rather than authority. He admits the task was daunting at first, especially as one of the young players trusted to lead a team full of experienced internationals.“It was difficult in the beginning because I didn’t know how to handle everything. I learned by sitting with seniors like Savita, Nikki, etc., asking questions, and understanding how to lead. Before, I hardly spoke. Now I know that communication is one of the biggest responsibilities of a captain,” said Salima.That openness has helped create a dressing room where every player is encouraged to contribute. According to the midfielder, leadership is shared rather than imposed.“It’s not that the captain does everything. Every player has a responsibility. The juniors also speak now, and that’s very important for us.”The culture was evident during India’s Nations Cup victory, where the team displayed composure, stability, and tactical discipline. But Salima insisted that the celebrations have been put aside.“The victory is a beautiful memory, but now our focus is completely on the World Cup. We analyze our performances, watch the videos, and know where we can improve. We’re just getting started.”India’s preparations have centered on sharpening the fundamentals while building on the physical improvements that have become more visible over the past few years. Salima credits the support staff for raising the team’s fitness standards, saying improvements in agility, strength, and recovery have helped the players match the speed of international hockey.“If we focus on our strengths, play with confidence, and stay consistent, we will achieve good results. Each player has different quality, speed, skills, or passing and if everyone does their role well, we can compete with the best, said Salima.Among those who have benefited from the environment created by senior players is Sunelita Toppo, whose journey reflects the rapid rise of women’s hockey in India. The young striker, who scored in the Nations Cup final against New Zealand, said the moment was a reward for countless hours spent practicing specific game situations.“We have been preparing for that situation before the game. When the ball came to me, I remained confident and implemented what we practiced. I am happy that I can contribute to the team’s victory,” he said.Sunelita’s rise is straightforward. Growing up in Odisha, he started playing hockey with a bamboo stick because his family could not afford proper equipment. Even the first hockey stick he received from a coach broke.Those humble beginnings, however, made him appreciate how amazing hockey infrastructure has developed in the state.“When I started, we played on clay fields. Now the young players start on the grass itself. There are grass fields even near my village, so I can continue to practice whenever I go home. That has made a big difference.”He also emphasized the role of senior players in helping the youngsters to settle in the national setup.“The coaches taught us the system, but the seniors explained the situations from their own experience. They never made us feel like juniors. They always guided us, and that helped me improve, Sunelita said.”Both players believe that India’s biggest leap since the Tokyo Olympics has been in understanding structure and fitness. While the hunger to win has always been there, Sunelita feels that the team’s tactical maturity has improved significantly under the current coaching staff.With the Hockey World Cup and the Asian Games looming, India knows the tougher challenges that await against the world’s elite. But if the Nations Cup is a statement of intent, conversations inside the India camp reveal something equally important, a team that has stopped measuring itself by past performances and started believing it belongs with the best.The next few months will determine whether that belief can translate into medals. Currently, India is heading into the biggest phase of the cycle which brings not just momentum, but a renewed sense of purpose.