Deepika Sehrawat eyes fresh start for Indian women's hockey in new year after injury layoff
New Delhi, December 28: While the year may not have been favorable for the Indian women's hockey team both on and off the field, drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat is ready to return to the turf after five months through the Hockey India League, believing that things will change for the better in the new year.
Deepika, who was ruled out of the team due to a slip during the final practice session a day before the departure for the Asia Cup in August, acknowledged that the team did not perform as expected in the past year but expressed confidence that the new year would bring new hopes, as per agency report. The 22-year-old forward stated that with new beginnings in the coming year, significant changes are expected. She highlighted that the upcoming year is crucial, with qualifying for the World Cup being the primary challenge, followed by the Asian Games in 2026.
Apart from finishing last in the Pro League, the Indian women's team lost 1-4 to China in the Asia Cup final, thereby missing the chance to directly qualify for the World Cup scheduled to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands next August. The team must now compete in the qualifiers in Hyderabad in March, where they will face England, Scotland, Korea, Italy, Uruguay, Wales, and Austria, with the top three teams securing a ticket to the World Cup.
Deepika, who won the Hockey India Best Emerging Player award in 2025, described the five months away from hockey as extremely difficult, admitting to feelings of anger and sadness over missing the Asia Cup despite good preparation. She affirmed that she is now making a comeback with full fitness and intends to leave no stone unturned. She emphasized the need to demonstrate that the Indian women's hockey team is second to none and aims to restore the upward trajectory the sport witnessed after the fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics. She noted that while the previous year was not good, the next year would bring a new dawn.
The player, who made her senior debut through the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar in 2022, attributed the team's poor performance to the repetition of mistakes and stressed the necessity for better communication. She observed that errors which led to their exit from the Pro League were repeated in the Asia Cup, and insisted that focus should have been on rectifying recurring mistakes alongside improving internal team communication.
Highlighting the importance of mental fitness alongside physical conditioning, Deepika credited her Hockey India League team, SG Pipers, for their support. She explained that physical fitness follows naturally when a player is mentally relaxed and happy. Since she wanted to return through the league, SG Pipers arranged a special 15-day camp for her in Jaipur after the national camp concluded, showing faith in her abilities which helped her regain fitness. She mentioned that she has returned to her pre-injury form, resumed drag-flicking, and feels physically stronger than before. Regarding the league, she noted that despite changes in the team, there is excellent coordination among players, and the presence of foreign players offers significant learning opportunities, leading to hopes for better performance this year.
Coming from a family of wrestlers, Deepika revealed that her father wanted her to make a name in the arena like her grandfather and uncle. She recalled going to wrestling practice with her brother initially but was drawn to the hockey field located on the way. Although her family wished for her to choose wrestling, she picked up the hockey stick and now possesses a strong desire to prove this decision right through her performance.
