NEW DELHI: The Indian junior women's hockey team is set to play five away matches against Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands from June 8 to 17, as part of its preparations for this year's FIH Junior Women's World Cup in Santiago, Chile.
The Indian team recently had a promising outing at the Four Nations Tournament in Rosario, Argentina, from where it headed straight to Belgium.
India will begin the tour with three matches against Belgium at the Hockey Center of Excellence, Wilrijkse Plein, in Antwerp.
The Indians will then face Australia at Beerschot Tennis Hockey Padel Club, in Kontich, before wrapping up the tour with a match against the Netherlands at Hockey Club Kampong, in Utrecht.
In Argentina, the Indian side delivered strong performances against quality opposition.
India registered a 2-1 win and a 2-2 (2-3 SO) loss against Chile, earned a 1-1 (2-0 SO) win and a 2-4 loss against hosts Argentina, and defeated Uruguay twice — 3-2 and 2-2 (3-1 SO).
Facing strong international opponents in varied conditions will help fine-tune the squad's combinations, build match temperament, and instill confidence required to perform at the world stage.
"This extended tour is an excellent opportunity for our team. We had a valuable learning experience in Argentina, and now moving straight into matches against Belgium, Australia, and the Netherlands will allow us to build on that momentum," Indian junior women's hockey team coach Tushar Khandker said in a release.
"These are high calibre teams that will test our tactical and technical depth, as well as our consistency. For many of these players, this is a critical phase in their development, and such tours give them the kind of exposure that can't be replicated in training sessions alone.
"Most importantly, this tour plays a crucial role in our preparations for the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup 2025 later this year. Every match we play now helps us get one step closer to being ready for that challenge," he added.