WION Exclusive | ‘A lot of young talent’: Sjoerd Marijne on the next generation driving India’s hockey rise

India’s historic fifth-place finish at the 2026 Women’s Hockey World Cup has given the team belief that it can now compete with the world’s best, but head coach Sjoerd Marijne believes there is still a significant gap to bridge. Speaking after India’s memorable campaign, Marijne admitted that one of his biggest questions entering the tournament was how his side would fare against the top teams in the world. “I was very curious about our level against top teams,” Marijne said. “I knew, and I told in many interviews, we are the best of the rest.”

India had already shown its quality by winning the Nations Cup and securing qualification for the World Cup. But the tournament in 2026 offered a different test, one against the established heavyweights of international hockey. And the Indian team responded. Marijne saw enough against China, England and the Netherlands to convince him that India could go toe-to-toe with the world's elite. “I felt against China, England, even the Netherlands, that we really can match with them. And some moments we were even better,” he said while speaking exclusively to WION.

That belief could prove to be one of the biggest takeaways from India’s fifth-place finish. But Marijne is not satisfied. For the Dutchman, the next step is clear: India must become more dominant with the ball. “Everybody can see we can defend really well, but that's not enough to win matches,” he said, pointing specifically to India's draw against Australia. The coach believes India’s defensive resilience is now a strength, but possession and ball control need to improve if the team wants to consistently challenge the top-ranked sides.

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And Marijne believes the answer begins with something deceptively simple, the basics. “The difference between the Netherlands and India is the basic skills about receiving and passing,” he explained. “Most of the times we need three touches and they only need two touches.” That extra touch, according to Marijne, can make all the difference at the highest level. “Their game is just faster. Their basic skills, every ball stays low. No bumpy passes. The moment they receive the ball, it's in full control.”

Marijne also offered a pointed assessment of Indian hockey's traditional focus on individual brilliance. “In India in general, we are very busy with individual skills, with the Indian dribble, with dodging and these kind of things. These are extras,” he said.

“First, the other thing needs to be good.” While the coach sees plenty to improve, the World Cup also offered him several reasons for optimism. A number of young players stepped onto the biggest stage for the first time, with Marijne highlighting Sakshi and Ishika and among those who impressed him.

The emergence of those players has added another dimension to an Indian team that Marijne believes has found the right balance between youth and experience. “The difference is like we have a lot of young talent in the team,” he said. “And I think the balance in the team is good with experienced players, with senior players and with junior players.”

The senior players, meanwhile, have played a role that goes far beyond their performances on the pitch. Marijne called them “crucial” to the culture he wants to build within the team, praising them for guiding the younger players while also leading by example. And he singled out former captain and goalkeeper Savita for special praise for the way she has helped younger goalkeeper Bichu. “You see how Savita is guiding Bichu. It's amazing,” Marijne said.

For Marijne, that willingness from senior players to help their own competition is what can ultimately strengthen Indian hockey.

“If she becomes better, I need to do better and then we get the best,” he said. It is a philosophy that extends beyond the World Cup result itself. Marijne also credited the improved support structure around the Indian team, pointing to the larger coaching staff, strength and conditioning support and specialist coaches, with Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India playing an important role.

His standards, however, remain uncompromising. “My demands are very high. The benchmark is very high,” he said. “When I'm not happy with it, I will tell them. And I'm very direct. And they know I always want more, more and more.”

For a team that has just secured a historic fifth-place finish, Marijne's message is strikingly clear: celebrate the breakthrough, but don't mistake it for the destination. The ultimate measure of this campaign, he believes, may not even be the result.

Years from now, he wants his players to remember the unity they shared. “That it felt that the team was in unity on and off the pitch,” Marijne said. “And that they are connected for life with each other.” India may have finished fifth in the world. But if Marijne gets his way, this will be remembered not as the peak of this team, but as the point from which it began climbing even higher.