Taeke Taekema Joins Indian Women’s Hockey Team Ahead of Nations Cup
As the Indian Women's Hockey Team prepares for one of its most important tournaments of the year, Hockey India has brought in one of the greatest penalty-corner specialists in the sport's history to sharpen a crucial aspect of the team's game.
Dutch hockey legend Taeke Taekema has joined the Indian squad for a specialised dragflicking and penalty-corner training camp during the team's ongoing Australia and New Zealand tour ahead of the FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2026. The initiative is aimed at improving India's efficiency from penalty corners, an area that often proves decisive in modern international hockey. With the Nations Cup scheduled to take place in Auckland from June 15 to 21, the camp comes at a critical stage of the team's preparations under chief coach Sjoerd Marijne.
Few names in world hockey carry as much weight when it comes to penalty-corner expertise as Taeke Taekema. The former Netherlands international was one of the most feared dragflickers of his generation, building a reputation for his powerful and accurate penalty-corner conversions. During an illustrious international career, Taekema represented the Dutch national team in multiple Olympic Games, FIH Hockey World Cups and major international tournaments.
His numbers underline his impact on the sport. Across more than 200 international appearances, the Dutch star scored an astonishing 221 goals for the Netherlands, with a large percentage coming from penalty corners.
His dragflicking technique and ability to perform under pressure made him one of the most successful specialists the sport has ever seen.
Now, India hopes that experience can help unlock another level in its attacking game.
The specialised camp has primarily focused on improving the execution and conversion rates of India's penalty corners. Among the players working closely with Taekema are Deepika, Lalthantluangi and Annu, all of whom are viewed as important components of India's penalty-corner unit. Deepika, in particular, has emerged as one of India's most promising dragflickers in recent years and has shown encouraging signs during international competitions.
The coaching staff believes that exposure to one of the game's greatest specialists can help accelerate the development of the team's dragflickers while also improving overall decision-making during set-piece situations. In elite hockey, penalty corners frequently decide tight matches, especially in major tournaments where scoring opportunities can be limited.
For India, improving conversion rates could prove the difference between winning and losing key matches at the Nations Cup and beyond.
While Taekema's reputation is built largely on his dragflicking abilities, his role with the Indian team extends beyond penalty corners. Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne revealed that the Dutchman will also contribute to the team's broader tactical development, particularly in defensive structures and overall game management. "We know that penalty corners are crucial in modern hockey and having a coach with Taeke Taekema's experience will be extremely valuable for us," Marijne said.
"Besides dragflicking, his role will also be much broader in helping improve our defensive structures. He has developed himself wider and we are looking to utilise his full potential with the team."
Marijne's familiarity with Taekema is expected to make the collaboration particularly effective.
"I have coached him, so I know him very well and we are on the same page in terms of our approach," the Indian coach added.
The shared understanding between the two Dutchmen should help ensure that the lessons from the camp are integrated smoothly into India's playing philosophy.
The camp follows a productive tour of Australia, where India faced the Hockeyroos in a four-match friendly series in Perth. The series ended in a 2-2 draw, providing encouraging signs ahead of the Nations Cup. India recovered from an opening defeat to win the next two matches before narrowly losing the final encounter, showcasing resilience and growing consistency against one of the world's strongest teams.
The performances also allowed Marijne to assess combinations and provide valuable international exposure to younger players. Several emerging talents impressed during the tour, including some of the players now working under Taekema's guidance. The experience gained in Australia is expected to serve as an important foundation heading into Auckland.
The initiative has been supported by Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation, which continues to invest in the development of women's hockey in India. The organisation had previously backed a specialised goalkeeping camp conducted by renowned coach David Williamson before the team's departure for Australia. By facilitating access to world-class expertise, such initiatives are helping strengthen various aspects of India's high-performance programme.
The addition of specialists like Taekema reflects a growing commitment to ensuring Indian players receive exposure to the best coaching resources available globally.
India will travel to New Zealand on June 3 to continue preparations before beginning its Nations Cup campaign. Placed in Pool A alongside Japan, the United States and Uruguay, India faces a challenging route to the knockout stages. The tournament is viewed as a key stepping stone towards larger targets, including the FIH Women's World Cup and the 2026 Asian Games. With experienced players such as Salima Tete, Savita, Sushila Chanu, Nikki Pradhan and Navneet Kaur leading the squad, India will enter the competition with confidence.
The addition of Taeke Taekema's expertise could provide an extra edge, particularly in the penalty-corner department.
If India's dragflickers can translate the lessons from this specialised camp into match-winning moments, the Dutch legend's short stint with the team may prove to be one of the most valuable investments in their Nations Cup preparations.
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