Deepika scored nine goals in India’s 20-1 win over Thailand and 20 across three Asian Games matches
The 23-year-old said her success came from training under Azad Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh and Taeke Taekema
She said her wrestling family gave her strength, but skill, consistency and discipline shaped her drag-flicking
Deepika has become the story of India’s Asian Games run. She scored nine times in one match and 20 goals in three games, and the 23-year-old drag-flicker said her progress came from years of effort and help from three mentors, not just the sporting genes from her wrestling family.
Deepika’s nine-goal haul in India’s 20-1 win over Thailand bettered her own previous mark of eight strikes against Uzbekistan in the opening match.
The India player, speaking from Kakamigahara in Japan, said her success is not only about the strength she inherited from her wrestling background. She credited years of work and training under three mentors for shaping her into a top drag-flicker.
Three Mentors Shaped
Deepika told PTI from Kakamigahara, Japan: "I didn't even realise I had set a record after scoring eight goals. I was just focused on converting the penalty corners. My teammates told me about it."
"Even in the Thailand match, I didn't keep count. In the team huddle head coach Sjoerd Marijne told me I had bettered my own world record."
Deepika credited childhood coach Azad Singh, former India drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh and Dutch expert Taeke Taekema for shaping her rise. She trained with them in specialised masterclass camps to sharpen her drag-flicking. Taekema was on the coaching staff at the World Cup and is in Japan for the Games.
"Azad sir felt I could become a drag-flicker because I came from a wrestling family and naturally had the strength. Rupinder bhaiya taught me what drag flick is all about and worked on the basics, while Taekema worked on variations, footwork and the mental side of the craft," she said.
Wrestling Roots And Return
Deepika grew up in a family steeped in wrestling, and her father wanted her to follow that tradition, regularly taking her and her brother to the SAI centre in Hisar.
At eight, she watched girls training on the field, and hockey caught her attention. Deepika said, "If I hadn't played hockey, I would have been a wrestler. But hockey has given me so much that I can't say whether I would have achieved similar success in wrestling."
"Strength alone isn't enough. Skill, consistency and discipline are crucial. I returned last year after battling a major injury and making a comeback after an injury is also very crucial. It takes many years to become a good drag-flicker."
Her progress carries extra weight because a Grade 3 hamstring tear kept her out for much of last year. Deepika came back strongly this season and scored six times in India’s FIH Nations Cup title-winning run. Last month’s World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, where India placed fifth, also gave her useful experience against leading sides.
Team Goals Ahead
Deepika further continued, "Taekema always tells me to play in a relaxed manner and make decisions calmly. He says no two matches are alike and even if the goals aren't coming, one should not get stressed."
Deepika said the trust her teammates place in her has made the pressure easier to manage. "We are playing as a team and that is the key. The team has confidence that if Deepu is there, she will score, but there is no pressure involved."
Deepika was asked whether India would aim for 10 goals against Japan. "Japan is a good team. We will try to give our best and win by a good margin."
Olympic qualification remains India’s end goal. Deepika said the side is not looking beyond the next game and its own performance. "Qualifying for the Olympics is the ultimate goal, but we have decided to focus only on the next match and our own game rather than the opposition."
