She is Team India's last line of defence. And a sturdy one, too, as she proved in the final of the recently-concluded Asia Cup women's hockey tournament. Team India goalkeeper Savita Punia saved a goal in the penalty shootout in the final against China, enabling India to emerge champions and qualify for the 2018 FIH Hockey World Cup in London. She ended up winning the best goalkeeper of the tournament award, too.
Hailing from Sirsa, Haryana, she was inspired to take up hockey thanks to former India players like Mamta Kharab and Surinder Kaur. It has been a motivating journey ever since. In 2009, she impressed the selectors during the Junior Asia Cup and was drafted into the senior women's team at 19. She also made two crucial saves in the penalty shootout of the bronze medal match in the 2013 edition of the Asia Cup. Then came the Hockey World League in Belgium where her excellent performance under the bar helped India finish fifth and, thus, qualify for Rio Olympics 2016, after 36 years.
THE WEEK caught up with the 26-year-old after the victorious Indian team arrived in the capital. When asked what makes her one of the best in the business currently, a modest Punia said, “The experience helps no doubt. Coach Harendra Singh made us practise shootouts prior to the tournament. Rest is all about staying calm and focused.”
She explains how she even worked with men's team skipper and goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, which helped her understand the qualities of a great goalkeeper. “I see a lot of his videos on YouTube. He had trained with us after returning from injury as he needed light training. He had shared his thoughts and experience on goal-keeping with us. He, too, underlined the importance of remaining calm under tense situations like penalty shootouts.”
Former India goalkeeper Bharat Chettri is the goalkeeping coach—this was his second assignment with the senior team after the tour of Netherlands and Belgium preceding the Asia Cup. “He told me in the final to take the shootout in same way I take it in practice sessions. The idea was to stop two goals to win the match. I told him of course I will do it. I have done it earlier, too.”
Speaking about the inputs from coach Singh, the Team India vice captain said, “Coach sir told us that he won't be changing much as he has taken charge on a short notice. But he worked on particular things like not taking blind hits inside the D and improving one-touch passing, among others.
Punia, who is still awaiting the government job promised to her by the Haryana government, is not one to rest on her laurels. She pointed out that to make an impact in the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, the team needs to work harder on its fitness.
“We also need to improve our penalty corner conversion if we want to make an impact, especially at the World Cup.”
