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Key Points

The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team is set to undertake a crucial five-match European tour across Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands. Following a promising performance in Argentina's Four Nations Tournament, the team aims to gain critical international exposure and refine their skills. The tour is strategically designed to prepare the squad for the upcoming FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup in 2025. Coach Tushar Khandker emphasized the importance of these matches in developing the team's tactical depth and match temperament.

Key Points: India Junior Women's Hockey Team Launches European Tour

  • Five-match European tour tests team's tactical and technical skills
  • Crucial preparation for 2025 FIH Junior Women's World Cup
  • Strong performances following Argentina tournament
  • Matches against top international hockey nations
2 min read

Indian Junior women's hockey team continues international tour with 5-match European leg

Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team embarks on 5-match European tour against Belgium, Australia, and Netherlands ahead of 2025 World Cup

"Every match we play now helps us get one step closer to being ready for that challenge - Tushar Khandker, Team Coach"

New Delhi, June 7

The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team is set to continue its international campaign with a five-match European tour from June 8-17, where they will take on Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands. The team, which recently concluded a promising outing at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina, has now reached Europe for the next leg of international exposure.

India will begin the tour with three matches against Belgium at the Hockey Center of Excellence, Wilrijkse Plein, in Antwerp. They will then face Australia at Beerschot Tennis Hockey Padel Club, in Kontich, before wrapping up the tour with a match against the Netherlands at Hockey Club Kampong, in Utrecht, as per a press release from Hockey India.

In Argentina, the Indian side delivered strong performances against quality opposition. They registered a 2-1 win and a 2-2 (2-3 shootout) loss against Chile, earned a 1-1 (2-0 shootout) win and a 2-4 loss against hosts Argentina, and defeated Uruguay twice -- 3-2 and 2-2 (3-1 shootout). The tour served as an important step in the team's preparations, offering valuable lessons in handling high-pressure scenarios and adapting to different playing styles.

Notably, these matches are also a key part of India's preparation for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile, in December 2025. Facing strong international opponents in varied conditions will help fine-tune the squad's combinations, build match temperament, and instill the confidence required to perform on the world stage.

Speaking ahead of the European tour, Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team Coach Tushar Khandker said, "This extended tour is an excellent opportunity for our team. We had a valuable learning experience in Argentina, and now moving straight into matches against Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands will allow us to build on that momentum. These are high-calibre teams that will test our tactical and technical depth, as well as our consistency. For many of these players, this is a critical phase in their development, and such tours give them the kind of exposure that can't be replicated in training sessions alone."

"Most importantly, this tour plays a crucial role in our preparations for the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2025 later this year. Every match we play now helps us get one step closer to being ready for that challenge," he added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya K.
So proud of our junior women's team! 💪 The Argentina performance was impressive, especially beating Chile and Uruguay. Europe will be tougher but I believe in our girls. Coach Khandker is right - this exposure is priceless before the World Cup next year. #HockeyIndia
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Rahul S.
Netherlands and Australia are hockey powerhouses! This is exactly the kind of challenge our young players need. Hope they learn from every match, win or lose. The shootout experience from Argentina will definitely help in close games.
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Ananya M.
While I'm excited about the tour, I wish there was more coverage of women's hockey in Indian media. These girls are future Olympians but get 1/10th the attention of cricket. Hockey India should push for better broadcasting deals!
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Vikram J.
The improvement in our women's hockey over the last decade is remarkable. Remember when we used to struggle against mid-tier teams? Now we're confidently taking on the best. Kudos to the coaching staff and Hockey India's long-term vision.
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Sneha P.
Belgium first match will set the tone! 🇮🇳 Hope our defense holds strong against their attacks. The Argentina tour showed we can handle pressure - now need to show consistency. All the best girls! Bring home some wins!
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Karan D.
Good to see Hockey India investing in junior teams. This is how you build champions - not just focusing on senior squads. The 2025 World Cup is still far but this preparation shows we're serious about competing at the highest level.

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