‘Do-or-die’: Renewed Savita Punia aims for World Cup qualification

New Delhi: Indian women’s hockey stalwart Savita Punia is in a reflective yet determined phase of her career as he prepares herself for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.  Speaking exclusively to IANS ahead of the Hockey India League (HIL) season with Soorma Hockey Club, the experienced goalkeeper opened up about her retirement plans, evolving relationship with Rani Rampal, the rise of young talent, leadership dynamics and her hopes for World Cup qualification.

Soorma had a strong start to their campaign in the first Women’s Hockey India League last year. They kicked off with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Bengal Tigers, then narrowly beat the Odisha Warriors 2-1, who eventually became champions, before losing 0-2 to Delhi SG Pipers.

The return fixtures yielded mixed results. Soorma made a strong comeback with a 5-1 win over Delhi but subsequently lost to Odisha in a penalty shootout. They then beat Bengal 4-2 to secure a spot in the final, where they once again lost to Odisha Warriors.

Having shared the field with Rani Rampal as teammates during the Tokyo Olympics, Soorma Hockey Club co-captain Savita says the bond remains strong, even as their roles have changed at Soorma, with Rani now serving as mentor.

“I share a very good relationship with her because we’ve already played together for a long time for India. For quite some time, we were also captain and vice-captain—around three to four years,” Savita said.

“There are certain things where even without speaking much, there’s a lot of mutual understanding. Today she is our team’s mentor, which is definitely a very good thing for the team.”

Savita believes Rani’s presence is especially valuable for younger players transitioning into senior-level hockey. “After playing for India for so long, becoming our mentor is extremely beneficial, especially for the young athletes,” she added.

“On the field we have very direct, sharp conversations that are effective for the team. Off the field too, if something comes up, we talk it through and resolve it together.”

Asked about the next generation at Soorma, Savita didn’t hesitate in naming a few standouts. “Definitely Sonam and Hina (Bano), and also Nidhi, for me, she’s a really good goalkeeper. Binima (Dhan) is also a great player,” she said.

“This platform gives them a chance. If they perform well here, they know it’s a great opportunity to break into the senior team.”

With the Junior World Cup recently concluded and the HIL underway, Savita feels the timing couldn’t be better. “This is the right time for them to perform well and make their way into the senior side.”

Savita credits Soorma Hockey Club’s culture as a key reason for individual and collective growth. “Last season was really, really good for us both as a team and as individuals. The environment here helps everyone. Just looking at our staff makes us want to do better because of the support, motivation, and clarity they provide,” she said. IANS

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