Win against Australia will put us in good stead ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers, reckons Gurjit Kaur

The Indian women’s hockey team has been making waves in Asia over the past few years, winning a medal in almost all continental tournaments. However, the team is eager to extend their good form to the global stage, with their latest challenge being the upcoming Olympics Test event.

The tenth-ranked Indian side has been drawn with a strong Australian side that currently sits in the world rankings at number two. China (11th) and home team Japan (14th) are the other two group members. Scheduled to start from the 17th of August, though the result of the event is mostly inconsequential, teams will use the event to work on their strategies and build their confidence ahead of qualifiers in October and November.

"It will be a big confidence boost for us if we do well against Australia. In the past six months, we have done very well against teams like Japan, China, Spain and Ireland but a win against Australia will put us in good stead ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers," Gurjit Kaur said, reported TOI.

India’s last international tournament ended in triumph as they put up a brilliant display to emerge victorious in the recently-concluded FIH Women's Series Finals in Hiroshima. 

"Since we are backed by good preparations -- thanks to the special camps held for defenders and goalkeepers, the team environment before the Olympic Test Event is great and we are upbeat and confident. In the past few weeks, we have worked on quite a few aspects of our game so we can do well against teams like Australia, China and Japan," Kaur added.

The 23-year-old has emerged as India’s key player and holds the important responsibility of being the team’s only drag-flicker. She has been scoring a good amount of goals and even ended the Women’s Series Finals as the tournament’s top scorer.

"Dragflicking is a responsibility for me like everyone else has their own responsibilities. Some players have to attack for a goal, some players have to defend, that way, my responsibility is to ensure we score through PCs, which I work on,” Kaur explained.

Having only become a regular member of the team in 2017, Kaur’s rise through the ranks have been rapid and the improvement born of experience can easily be seen in her game.

"The exposure I have got over the past two years has only helped me grow in the team and improve my skills as a dragflicker. I practiced and learnt drag-flicking well after joining the Indian team then I got my chances and thereafter my confidence increased," she revealed.