The Indian women’s hockey team is all set for a thrilling five-match series in Perth, Australia, from 26th April to 4th May 2025, a key step in their road to the FIH Pro League’s European leg.
The tour kicks off with back-to-back matches against Australia A on April 26 and 27, before the real challenge begins: three fiery clashes against the World No. 5-ranked Hockeyroos on May 1, 3, and 4 – all hosted at the iconic Perth Hockey Stadium.
Currently sitting ninth in the FIH World Rankings, India enters the series riding a wave of confidence. Their recent performance against world No.1 Netherlands, a 2-2 draw followed by a dramatic bonus-point shootout win in Bhubaneswar, has set the tone for what promises to be a competitive series.
India also boasts a history of bold performances against the Aussies. In the 2023-24 FIH Pro League, India edged past Australia with a 1-0 victory. And who can forget their historic win at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where India stunned the three-time Olympic champions in the semifinal? While the 2022 Commonwealth Games semifinal ended in heartbreak after a shootout loss, the contest proved that India can go toe-to-toe with them.
That said, Australia still leads the head-to-head with 10 wins in 16 matches since 2013. India has clinched three victories, while three games ended in draws.
Head Coach Harendra Singh emphasised the importance of the tour.
“This is a crucial part of our preparation for the European leg of the FIH Pro League. Facing a top-tier side like Australia will test us and reveal the areas we need to sharpen. We’ve shown our mettle against teams like the Netherlands, now it’s about sustaining that level”, he said, adding, “Australia has historically held the edge, but in recent years we’ve proven we’re not backing down. The team is hungry, focused, and putting in the hard yards in training before we take off for Perth.”
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