FIH Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers: Speed, Youth Will Work In India's Favour, Feels Baljeet Kaur

Indian midfielder Baljeet Kaur has expressed confidence in the women's hockey squad ahead of FIH World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad, 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.

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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 curiosity and made me want to start playing as well," Kaur recalled.

Determined to pursue the sport seriously, Kaur moved to a school in Tarn Taran, where she had better opportunities to train and compete. Her performances soon helped her earn a call-up to the junior national camp in 2017, marking an important milestone in her journey.

However, the road was not without challenges. Coming from a modest background, access to equipment and resources was often difficult during her early years in the sport.

"It was not easy for us to play hockey because our family couldn't afford the equipment. People around us and in the community helped us a lot by providing hockey sticks and shoes. My siblings and I are very thankful to them for supporting us during those early years," she said.

She eventually broke into the senior Indian team setup in 2022 but admits that the journey since then has come with its share of ups and downs.

"Since 2022, sometimes I have been in the team and sometimes I have been out of it. My goal is to keep improving and continue playing for India – that is the only thing on my mind," she explained.

India will open campaign against Uruguay on March 8, followed by matches against Scotland and Wales on March 9 and 11 respectively.