After warming up with a stunning 1-0 win over defending champions Japan, India will open their campaign in the women’s Asia Cup hockey tournament against Singapore here on October 30. The eight-nation event would double up as a qualifying tourney for the 2010 World Cup.
The 18-member Indian team is being led by this year’s Arjuna awardee Surinder Kaur.

Olympian Col Balbir Singh, who as a selector witnessed the selection trials in Bhopal, said India’s chances of winning the tournament were good. “With the kind of forwards we have, we should do reasonably well,” feels the former chief coach.

“With Korea, China and Japan in the field, Asia Cup is tougher and fiercer than the Commonwealth Games.
The team has a tough task on their hand, but not unattainable,” he asserted.

Arjuna Award winner Sita Mehta, also a selector, agreed. “We have been doing reasonably well in the recent past. The team has fresh legs and an enthusiastic lot. We are top favourite for the title, as our forwards are in form,” he said.

However, Mehta said the team lacks penalty corner specialists. “At the same time, we are poor in penalty corners, and it is an area of concern. I don’t think this team has any penalty corner expert or expertise,” said Mehta, who played in the 1999 Asia Cup in Delhi.

“We are physically weaker and therefore have to be stronger in strategy. Kaushik is a veteran coach, I hope he understands what it takes to be a winning situation,” Anurita Saini said.

But the legendary Rajbir Kaur, who led India to a bronze medal at the 1993 Asia Cup, counts on the experience of captain Surinder Kaur, Mamta Kharab and Jasjeet Kaur to overcome the weaknesses.

“They are good, they can cover up for other weak areas,” he said.