I’ll make Deepika world’s best drag-flicker: Harendra

Indian women’s hockey team’s chief coach Harendra Singh says fast-rising striker Deepika has the potential to be a brilliant drag-flicker as well and helping her realise that potential will be one of his primary targets along with ensuring that the team’s fitness levels never fall on his watch.

Unlike most dragflickers in the world, who are defenders, Deepika is a striker and showed her brilliance with field goals in the recently-concluded Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, Bihar.

She emerged as the highest goal-scorer in the tournament with 11 strikes, mostly field efforts.

“I am not concerned about PCs because I know we are working and we are going to eradicate this problem very soon. I know we are looking at instant coffee from Deepika but I am sure I will make her one of the best drag-flickers of the world in women’s hockey just like I made Harman,” Harendra told PTI in an exclusive interview referring to his stint with men’s team and the work done with its star captain Harmanpreet Singh.

“We need to give her some time, she is just 21.

She has already become a star. She is a good scorer from field play, and she will become a very good drag-flicker as well,” he said.

Harendra described Deepika as “special” but he said her approach to drag-flick needs to be work on.

“I am sure very soon she will get the results,” he said.

“Mentality matters and her mentality has changed and she wants to be the best player. But it’s always a process, we can’t jump so fast. I am working on small details with her.”

The chief coach, however, was satisfied with the performance of the players in the ACT and said it is just the first step towards his mission for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“Whatever was the target, we have achieved but there are a lot of things which we need to achieve. We have improved on our attacking style, defence and circle penetrations. Whatever we took shots on goals were quality ones.

“Paris is past...There was no point sitting and crying over it, rather it was important to move forward and work on the areas where we needed to improve,” he said.

“We had one-on-one fruitful meetings with the players where we got in-depth details on all aspects and made a chart about what needs to be done and worked on what was in our hands.”

Fitness is one area which Harendra had emphasised on since taking over in April this year and he is quite happy with the results although he feels there is still scope for improvement.

“The icing in the cake was the one-week camp in the INA (Indian Naval Academy) which Hockey India provided us. It played big role in team-building and team unity. But to be frank the journey has just started, we can’t be happy,” he said.

“Fitness is the biggest concern. The first day I joined, I made it clear that whoever you may be, how bigger players you might be but if you are not fit you won’t be part of the side. Whoever is not fit can’t board this bus, this was my clear directive.”

Harendra said his vision is LA 2028 and earning a direct ticket to the quadrennial event through the World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Belgium and Netherlands and the Asian Games in Japan, both in 2026.