"It is very possible that Vandana Katariya will have 500 international caps" - Savita Punia on Indian hockey stalwart

India women’s hockey team captain Savita Punia heaped praise on senior striker Vandana Katariya after the latter won her 300th international cap. During India’s league match against Japan in the recently concluded Women’s Asian Champions Trophy, Vandana became the first woman to represent the country in 300 international hockey games.

Vandana, 31, made her senior team debut in the 2011 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos, China. 12 years down the line, the player from Haridwar has 303 caps and 96 goals to her name, including the four she netted in India’s victorious continental triumph in Ranchi.

Speaking about her senior teammate’s milestone, Savita quipped that she can go ahead and play 500 matches for India with the fitness standards she maintains. In a media interaction held on Thursday, where Sportskeeda was present, Savita said:

“It’s a big honour for our team that Vandana completed 300 caps. I have seen my journey with her since 2009. She is very hard working The resilience player that we say is something you can find in her. It puts a good energy in the team. It’s like a player has a fire, appetite and dedication and Vandana has all of it."

The Indian skipper further said:

“She has the same fitness even after playing 300 matches. We sometimes joke that you will be the first women player who will have 500 caps. It is very possible and when such players are there in the team then young players are automatically motivated.

Indian head coach Janneke Schopman, who made 212 appearances for the Netherlands women's team from 2001 to 2010, called Vandana Katariya’s achievement amazing.

The 46-year-old coach pointed out that the ace striker has been consistent in her game, particularly when the women's team plays considerably less number of matches in contrast to their male counterparts in a calendar year.

“I said it to Van personally as well. I can't imagine playing 300 caps for your country. I think that's an amazing accomplishment, especially as a female, where I know that typically women play less games in a year than the men have. So for her to be at the top of the game for this long is amazing. And I think Vandana is just such a nice and humble person,” Schopman said.

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"Vandana Katariya always wants to fight and do better" - Janneke Schopman

Indian forwards Vandana Katariya and Jyothi picked up yellow cards during the dying minutes of the semi-final clash against South Korea. India had to defend their 2-0 goal with just nine players on the court.

This was Vandana’s second yellow card of the tournament after she was booked for tripping a Chinese opponent with her stick while tackling in the final quarter in India’s 2-1 win over China in the league stage. Speaking on how Vandana was emotionally down after being booked, Schopman said:

“You saw her [Vandana Katariya's] disappointment [sic.] when she got the yellow card against China, where she really felt she let the team down. And I think that's who Vandana is. She works hard.

"She typically smiles. She has so much energy and she always gives her best for the team. And I think if you look at that from a perspective as a coach, but also for other players, it's just motivating.”

Schopman further mentioned Vandana’s fighting spirit, standing tall against all the odds, and bettering her game with each match passing. She added:

“And she's had also a lot of injuries, but she never puts herself down and she always wants to fight and wants to be better. And I think, yeah, regardless of where she ends up in how many games she will play, I think that doesn't really matter because from game one to game 303, where she's at now, I think you always see the same spirit and the same energy."

Vandana Katariya is the only Indian female player to score a hat-trick in an Olympic event. She accomplished the feat in a pool A game against South Africa at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.