Indian women's hockey captain Salima Tete has declared that her side will carry the same game plan that delivered two wins against Argentina last month into the upcoming tour of Australia, beginning 21 May 2025. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday, 15 May, Tete said consistency — not reinvention — is the team's strategy against world-class opposition.

Tete's Message: Don't Change What's Working

'Winning two games is a big deal for us, that too with Argentina. To continue that, we just have to play the way we played in Argentina. We don't need to change anything (against Australia). We have to focus on our discipline and game plan. We have to follow the coach's instructions,' Tete said at the event, felicitated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The captain acknowledged that handling mental pressure in international competition remains the team's steepest challenge, but pointed to the younger players' recent exposure against Argentina as a confidence builder. 'Junior players from Argentina know how to play against Australia and how to handle the pressure. We have to play our best hockey,' she added.

Australia Tour: Schedule and Stakes

The Indian women's hockey team will tour Australia from 21 May to 3 June 2025, playing four matches against the host nation at the Perth Hockey Stadium. The first two matches are scheduled for 26 and 27 May, with the remaining two on 29 and 30 May. The tour serves as direct preparation for the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26, set for 15 to 21 June in Auckland.

This comes amid a packed international calendar for the side, which has been training intensively at the national camp at SAI Bengaluru since returning from Argentina. Notably, the team's drag-flickers will undergo a specialised training clinic under Dutch legend Taeke Taekema from 26 May to 21 June, spanning both Perth and Auckland.

Marijne Keeps Selection Open

Head coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the Australia tour doubles as a selection exercise. 'Every tour, every camp, and every tournament is for me a selection trial for the next tour or camp. So that never stops. And in Australia, the announcement of the team will be Monday, so I cannot say too much about this,' he said.

Marijne stressed that international exposure itself is a primary objective. 'Girls will get international exposure and see what they're capable of... playing at the international level is different,' he added, underlining that day-to-day improvement in training camps feeds directly into his selection thinking.

What's at Stake

Australia rank among the top sides in world hockey, making this a stern examination of India's recent progress. The Argentina wins — described by Tete as 'a big deal' — have injected visible confidence into the squad, but a series against the Hockeyroos will test whether that momentum is sustainable against an even higher-ranked adversary. With the Nations Cup in New Zealand less than a fortnight after the tour ends, the coaching staff will have little margin for error in finalising their best combination.