~Rutuja scored on her international debut at the FIH Hockey Pro League (Women)~
The 22-year-old sensation from Satara, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, made headlines with a series of impressive performances in the FIH Hockey Pro League (Women) 2024/25. In her maiden senior international tournament, she scored two goals in five matches, playing a key role in the Indian women’s team’s success during the Bhubaneswar leg at Kalinga Stadium.
Rutuja was handed her debut in India’s second match against England, in which she also bagged her first-ever goal to aid India in their remarkable comeback. Speaking about her experience, she said, “It was my first match, so I was a little nervous and anxious but the team took care of me. It is not easy to score a goal on debut so that gave me a lot of confidence which helped me in the tournament.”
She also spoke about how the senior players from the squad helped her beat the pre-match nerves. “I was able to do this because of the support of the team. Before the match, everyone told me to play freely and not be tense. So the support of the team and the staff helped me cope with the pressure.”
“I thought to myself that I have practiced a lot in the camp, and I have to do what I have learned. My goal was to play simple hockey so I didn’t complicate anything too much,” she added.
While sharing her experience in the tournament, Rutuja also highlighted Chief Coach Harendra Singh’s role in her preparations. “He (Harendra Singh) didn’t give me any pressure. He told me I am skilled and I have what it takes to do well. His main advice for me was to enjoy the game. He is a great coach.”
Rutuja was in tremendous form in the Hockey India League and helped her side, Odisha Warriorz, lift the title by scoring a brace in the 2-1 win over JSW Soorma Hockey Club in the grand finale. Upon her national team call-up, she said, “I called my home first when I saw the squad list. My family was really happy and I explained to them what a good opportunity for me this was.”
When asked about her training focus, Rutuja shared, “My primary goal is to improve my finishing, particularly my backhand shots. I realized that I had a few scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert them, so I need to work on that diligently.”
Please find attached the pictures.
