Young goalie Samiksha trains with Savita

New Delhi

Samiksha Saxena, a 22-year-old goalkeeper from Saharanpur, is part of the 40-member core group training at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru for the upcoming Women's Asia Cup 2025. She earned her spot after strong performances for Assam Hockey in the Senior Women National Championships.

Training with senior players for the first time, Samiksha said the experience has helped her improve quickly. She’s working on her reflexes and movement, and feels confident taking on the big responsibility of being a goalkeeper.

She’s especially excited to train under veteran keeper Savita, whom she has always admired. “She teaches me everything patiently,” Samiksha said. It’s also her first time learning from Chief Coach Harendra Singh, who she says explains clearly in both English and Hindi.

Samiksha started as a field player but switched to goalkeeping at 19 after a coach in Bhopal noticed her height and quick reflexes. Her parents, once unsure about hockey, now proudly support her. Her dream: to represent India and win medals for the country.