Speed and youth will work in India’s favour, feels Baljeet
Indian midfielder Baljeet Kaur has expressed confidence in the women’s hockey squad ahead of FIH World Cup 2026 Qualifiers here, emphasising the team’s “young and speedy” composition as a key advantage for securing a spot in the main tournament.
As the team gears up for the Qualifiers in Hyderabad, the 24-year-old Kaur is among the players eager to make an impact and help India secure qualification to the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup later this year.
“Our goal is to win and qualify for the World Cup. We want to perform well and give our best so that we can bring a medal for the country,” Kaur said.
She also believes the current squad has the right balance to achieve something special.
“There are many young and speedy players in the team and it’s a very good combination. The flow within the group is good and the fitness level is high,” she noted.
Further reflecting on the preparations leading up to the tournament, Kaur expressed satisfaction with how the team approached training.
“The camp went very well and the training sessions were good. We worked on different aspects, including our shooting, and everything progressed well,” she shared.
She also highlighted the areas she focused on ahead of the tournament.
“Before coming to the camp, one of my main focus areas was improving my fitness, and I worked a lot on that during the training period,” Kaur added.
Her journey in hockey began more than a decade ago in her village Kaka Kandiala in Punjab, when she was studying in the seventh standard. What began as curiosity soon turned into a deep passion for the sport.
“I started playing hockey in 2012. My uncle’s daughter used to play hockey, and I would always ask her where she was going early in the morning. She would tell me she was going to the ground to practice, and that sparked my curiousity and made me want to start playing as well,” Kaur recalled.
