"I'm enjoying my hockey just as much as before" - Navneet Kaur recounts team performance, sheds light on what keeps her going [Exclusive]

Envisaging an Indian line-up without Navneet Kaur's calming and self-assured presence on the pitch would be quite an ask. From manufacturing potent moves in the opponent's half to beating opposition custodians with well-directed slap shots from the top of the circle, Navneet's tenacity shows no sign of waning.

As the seniormost striker in the team, the 30-year-old, who once combined seamlessly with the likes of Rani Rampal, Vandana Kataria and Navjot Kaur, now assists young Sunelita Toppo, Sangita Kumari and Mumtaz Khan to breach the best of defences.

During an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda, Navneet, who achieved the rare distinction of donning India colours for the 200th time at the Asia Cup, analyses the team's recent performance while also shedding light on what keeps her going.

As India took to the pitch to play Japan in the last of their Super 4s games of the Asia Cup, Navneet Kaur was presented with a jersey commemorating her 200th appearance for the team. Twelve years after having scored the winning goal for the Indian juniors in the shootout of the bronze medal match during the 2013 Junior World Cup, the girl from Shahabad Markanda is enjoying her hockey just as much as she did at the start.

"I am enjoying my hockey just as much as I did in the past. I am sure that I will continue to enjoy playing in future as well. since representing the country is a privilege," she states unhesitatingly.

Navneet Kaur provided India the much-needed opening goal in the big final of the Asia Cup against China. She offset the defence with a deft tap of the ball before angling her penalty corner slap shot past the oncoming rusher into the far corner of the net.

The Chinese pulled one back in the 21st minute, but were unable to build on their tally, with both teams having an even chance to pull it off until the third quarter. Looking back at the encounter, which the Indians went on to lose by an apparently lopsided 1-4 scoreline, Navneet Kaur cited a lack of proper game management by the team in the frantic final quarter.

"Down 1-2 after the goal off the counterattack, the team needlessly began to rush their attacks instead of building moves patiently. Had we remained calm, we would not have conceded any further goals, and there was every chance that we could have scored a second as well," the veteran forward observed.

"Better game management in the final stages is what we need to obtain better outcomes in future," she explained.

While being candid enough to admit that Li Hong's stunning goal on the counter midway through the third quarter was not something that the team saw coming, Navneet believes the Chinese are a beatable side.

"We did not expect a goal to be scored in such a manner, so we were caught unawares," Navneet stated. "China are the Olympic silver medalists, but we don't view the Chinese as an overly outstanding team against whom we cannot compete. The Olympic medal has given the Chinese immense confidence in their abilities. Even when they trail (like they did against us in the final) they reckon they can always claw their way back."

"As far as we are concerned, it's important for us to focus on ourselves and not the opposition. No matter which team we play against, we need to play to our strengths," the Olympian stressed.

Navneet opined that the Indians performed reasonably well in the Asia Cup, considering that a lot of the players lacked experience.

"Considering that we have several youngsters in the side with not much experience, I feel we did quite well in the Asia Cup (and, for that matter, in the Pro League as well)," the Haryana girl remarked.

"I was not under pressure, but there was an added responsibility" - Navneet Kaur on taking penalty corners in Deepika's absence

Navneet Kaur in action against China in the Asia Cup final - Source: Hockey India

Navneet Kaur believes that she and Udita have gained confidence from taking the penalty corners in Deepika's absence at the Asia Cup. The player from Haryana also disclosed that the Indians will utilise a mix of drag flicks and slap shots in future.

"In Deepika's absence, we had to utilise our hits and slap shots whenever we earned PCs. That said, even during the camp, we decided not to be too dependent on drag-flicks alone," Navneet Kaur declared.

"I was not under pressure, but there was definitely an added responsibility of attempting to score from slap shots since our main drag-flicker was injured. We also gained in confidence as the tournament progressed, knowing we had the ability to score from the top of the circle with our hits and slap shots. Going forward, we will continue to mix up the hits, slap shots and drag flicks as part of our penalty corner arsenal," she disclosed.

Extra warm-ups before matches and focusing on recovery in between games help the double centurion maintain her fitness. While several of her old teammates are no longer part of the side, the bonding with the current lot remains as strong as ever.

"With time, it takes more effort to maintain one's level. I do a bit of extra warm-up before the game. It's also important to activate and keep my body ready for late-evening games. If we are playing two matches in the space of a couple of days, recovery is most important." Navneet Kaur affirmed.

"I do miss my old teammates who are no longer part of the team, as I enjoyed a great bonhomie with them. I share thoughts with Neha Goyal, Nikki Pradhan and Lalremsiami after matches. The younger players also present their viewpoint about how they thought a particular game went and what needs to be corrected. As a team, we are very closely bonded together," Navneet asserted.

Navneet Kaur will continue to be a vital cog in the Indian attack as the team attempts to retain its place in the Pro League by winning the 2026 Nations Cup next season. For now, though, the main focus will be on the World Cup qualifiers in February, which will follow the games of the second season of the women's Hockey India League.