Newcomer Nisha is ready to prove herself worthy of a spot in Indian team

The 25-year-old defender made her international debut in 2019.

A newcomer in the Indian women's hockey team backline, Nisha has made positive strides since her debut last year at the FIH Series Final. For her, this year has been all about mental toughness, learning from her seniors and executing the advice of coaches. 

"It has been a very challenging year for everyone but we have to count our blessing for being in a very secure environment. Because I am part of Hockey India's national program, I am able to enjoy the comforts of training in a safe environment like SAI and work on my game," expressed Nisha, who was part of the Indian team that toured New Zealand earlier this year. 

She further added that the seniors in the team have been big support during the pandemic. The defender stated, "It is not easy to be in Camp for long period but the seniors have made it easy and they have been supportive all along particularly during the lockdown when there were no activities. The coaching staff too have been supportive and often check with us during one-on-one meetings about how we are feeling and how our family is doing etc. This shows that we are being cared for." 

Speaking of her growth in the team, Nisha remarked, "I just want to utilize the opportunities I get and prove myself to the team. The New Zealand Tour was great exposure for me and I got to learn a lot from that tour especially about the match temperament required to play against good teams like New Zealand." 

With no tournaments this year, She feels this is a great opportunity to improve her skills as a defender. Nisha said, "Personally, I feel this is a great opportunity to improve my own game and pay more attention to tactical awareness, PC defending etc. This is an important phase for me as it provides ample time to get used to the level required in the senior team." 

"The pool of players in the Senior Women's team is quite strong and if I need to make a place in the team for big tournaments, I need to bring my top game to every session and I am committed to doing that," she concluded.