~ The 30-year-old reflects on her evolving role, preparations for the national camp and working under new head coach Sjoerd Marijne ahead of the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifier Hyderabad Telangana 2026 ~
Bangalore, February 6: India women’s hockey team star Navneet Kaur believes that modern hockey demands more from attacking players, highlighting the importance of defensive contribution even for strikers as the team continues preparations for the ongoing national camp ahead of the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifier Hyderabad Telangana 2026
“In today’s hockey, attacking is not enough. As an attacker, defensive skills are also very important. I focus on tackling and applying pressure without the ball because winning the ball back is a big advantage for the team,” she opined.
While highlighting her personal focus, Navneet reiterated that the team’s primary goal remains qualification for the 2026 FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup. “Our goal is very clear. We want to qualify for the World Cup and give our best performances in the qualifying matches,” she noted.
The camp, which forms an important part of India’s run-up to the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifier Hyderabad Telangana 2026, will be held in Hyderabad from March 8 to 14. The top three teams from the tournament will qualify for the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup.
Speaking about the camp environment, Navneet noted, “The camp is going well. We have a new coach and a strong core group, and the quality of training has been very good. Everyone is focused and we are preparing well for the upcoming competition.”
Navneet further spoke about working under newly appointed Head Coach Sjoerd Marijne, highlighting the clarity he has brought to the group.
“He has a very direct way of communicating. He tells us clearly what he expects from us, what we need to improve and what kind of performance he wants on the field. There is no confusion and that helps us work better as a team,” she noted.
With several senior players having worked with Marijne previously, Navneet believes the exposure has helped the team establish itself quickly. “He understands how Indian players play, and we also know what he expects from us. That mutual understanding helps us progress faster as a team,” she said.
Navneet also recently led her team, SG Pipers, to the Women’s Hero Hockey India League title and spoke about the impact and exposure this brought to the wider group: “Having played alongside foreign players in the Hero Hockey India League, the confidence level is different among the younger players. The lessons learned from that exposure are clearly visible when players return to the national camp,” she opined.
She added that the mentality within the group has evolved significantly.
“There is a very positive mentality in the camp. Players want to try new things. Even if something doesn’t work right away, we keep pushing ourselves and keep learning,” Navneet noted.