Asian Games: China no longer the Great Wall for India’s women’s hockey team

India's World Cup 2-2 draw against China has largely removed a mental block ahead of the Asian Games. (Hockey India)

The fifth-place finish and impressive performances against top teams at the Women’s Hockey World Cup has brought a feel-good factor in India, apart from being the best finish in more than half a century. Significantly, it removed the mental block, to a large extent, against China – India’s strongest opponents on the path to Asian Games gold and a direct berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India played an entertaining 2-2 draw against the 2024 Olympics silver medallist in the World Cup group stage and finished ahead of them as the reigning Asian Games champion finished eighth.

“The China match was important for us. Drawing or winning that game was crucial because the young players mostly remember the 4-0 drubbing China gave us at the last Asian Games,” Savita Punia told The Indian Express. “This draw serves as a reminder for us that we played good hockey against them and will do the same at the Asian Games.”
Since 2023, China is the team India has found most difficult to win against at the continental level. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China squashed India’s hopes of a historic gold and an Olympics berth in the semifinal with a 4-0 thrashing. India got the better of them twice later in the year at the Asian Champions Trophy but it was a much weaker Chinese squad with most of the top players resting after coming home with a historic silver medal from the Paris Olympics.

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In the 2023 and 2024 Pro League, India lost four times to China before suffering yet another defeat in the final of the 2025 Women’s Asia Cup.

Coached by Aussie Alyson Annan, the Chinese women’s hockey team plays like a battle-hardened army with rigid tactical formations which makes it difficult for opponents to break through. However, in the World Cup clash against India, China was forced on the back foot by an early field goal from Navneet Kaur, breaking their tactical rigidity. “More than the draw, the way we played was great. We were not just defending. We attacked and created more opportunities than they did,” Savita quipped.

With the overall performance at the World Cup, India has also given China something to think about in their pursuit of a direct Olympic berth. “China knows India is performing well and now they have to do their homework. They can’t rely on past results now knowing how much India has improved,” the veteran goalkeeper said.

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One of the highlights for India at the World Cup was the unity in the dressing room, which seemed to have been somewhat lost during the tenure of previous head coach Harendra Singh. The return of Sjoerd Marijne, who coached India to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, has also brought energy back to the squad.

“Every player is happy that coach Marijne has returned. He and his team bring incredible energy and introduce so many meaningful concepts. Our coach gave us a unity band. For an overseas coach to be so deeply invested in taking Indian hockey to the top is motivating in itself,” Savita said.

Just a draw, not a win

While the draw against China can be seen as a positive result, coach Sjoerd Marijne doesn’t want to get carried away. “I know the expectations are higher but we need to realise that it was just a draw against China. We didn’t defeat them,” the Dutchman said.

ALSO READ | Indian make a point vs Olympic silver medallists China in World Cup opener

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India need to improve their finishing, be it from penalty corners or in open play. “We need to score more PCs but that is something which depends on how the opponent defends. So, overall, we have to improve our finishing.”

India defeated Germany in the fifth-place playoff at the World Cup and Marijne wants to build on that. “Before we reach the gold medal match, there are some other matches we need to win. So, I would want the girls to focus on that one match and not worry too much about China,” he said. “It’s better than losing,” Navneet, India’s top scorer at the World Cup, had said after China’s draw. She, and India, would want to set the bar higher at Aichi-Nagoya.