FIH Nations Cup will provide us valuable game-time, says Indian women's hockey team player Neha Goyal

Having finished a creditable fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and then returning with a bronze from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, India are looking to become a potent force in women's hockey, and the inaugural Nation's Cup could be the first step in that direction. "The FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2022 will see us play some good teams and it will provide us with game time, for which there is no substitute. We have been doing well against the big teams consistently in recent years and in Spain, we will aim to do more of the same," Neha said in a Hockey India release on Friday.

The tournament will be played from December 11-17 in Valencia, Spain. India have been drawn in Pool B alongside Canada, Japan and South Africa in the tournament, while Pool A consists of Ireland, hosts Spain, Italy and South Korea. "We can't take any team lightly.

Each team is very dangerous in their own way and we will have to play our best hockey so that the team can reach the final rounds. Every match is a new day and the past results will not have any consequence on the present," Neha said. India will begin their campaign against Canada and then play Japan before finishing their pool engagements against South Africa.

"These international matches and the exposure bring us face to face with tough situations and we learn to overcome it and grow. It will only help the team become an even closer-knit unit and that will undoubtedly help us in the future," Neha said.