The Indian Women’s Hockey group not too long ago returned from Spain, clutching the trophy of the inaugural FIH Nations Cup. Their video of playing on the arrival when on the airport has gained many whistles and cheers, and the fulfillment makes them really feel that their adventure deserves a cinematic documentation. And why now not, for this victory has ensured that the group secures a berth on the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League, which is a key match forward of subsequent 12 months’s Asian Games and 2024 Paris Olympics. Two of the group’s senior group individuals, Sushila Chanu and Vandana Katariya, percentage how so much has modified since Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Chak De! India’ hit the monitors in 2007.
Sushila Chanu: Dynamics inside the group have modified.
Most would take note the senior vs junior contention within the Bollywood movie, and Chanu says that it has modified over the years. “It has become better than before. Ab senior-junior kuchh nahi raha. Everyone just wants to be motivated to win the game,” she says, adding, “Pehle seniors se darr lagta tha. Unka support nahi milta tha. Ab hum seniors hai toh bahut freedom dete hain [juniors ko],
The 30-year-old, who has been playing since she was 11, further explains how the dynamics within the team have changed drastically. “There should be more films like Chak De! India. They should make another one, just to show the world how our team works now,” opines the midfielder.
Chanu emphasizes how the team as a whole had just one goal, “Bas jeetna hai, yehi soch this humari. Our team had played three practice matches against Spain and all of those we lost,” recalls Chanu about the time before the nail-biting finale where India defeated Spain on its home turf. Chanu says while they did feel like the underdogs initially, the team strived hard to seal the win. “We watched the match videos and analyzed them together. In the practice matches, we lost because of our own mistakes, but worked together and our target trended on social media,” she exclaims.
Their match got here at a time when the arena was once additionally invested within the top stakes fits of the FIFA World Cup. Ask if she thinks the timing divided the eye of target market clear of their victory, and Chanu says her group was once ardently staring at the FIFA World Cup in sports activities spirit. “Our coach (Janneke Schopman) is from Holland, so we were also watching the matches between practice and games. Different sport hai par enjoy toh hum bhi karte hain!”
Vandana Katariya: Every tournament we play within the ultimate
The Indian group ranked #8 on the eight-nation match, however Padma Shri Vandana Katariya says what made them sail via was once the boldness to play each tournament as the general. “Hum sab beginning se hi focussed thay. Everything in my understanding thi. Hum ek saath India ke liye khel rahe thay,” says Katariya.
Stressing at the significance of studying to care for pre-match jitters and function drive, the 30-year-old states that the Indian group has mastered it now. “Unhe (Bollywood) our team par Chak De! India ka sequel banana chahiye,” she opines, including how their trajectory within the match performed out identical to a movie. “Humne spain ke against three practice matches haare par finally jeet gaye. All this is because everyone gave their 110%. Match mein sab apni responsibility puri karte hain aur baad mein masti karte hain,” provides the ahead participant.
Katariya recollects being shy and quiet round her seniors previous while now she sees a unified group spirit a few of the gamers. “Ab darte nahi hain seniors se. Hum sab saath mein rehte hain, hanste-khelte hain aur mehnat karte hain,” she stocks, including how in spite of receiving the Padma Shri, the group does now not deal with her another way: “The honor of Padma Shri isn’t just mine, it is all of ours.
Author tweets @KritiKambiri
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