India’s U18 hockey teams signed off their exposure series against Australia with plenty of promise, as the U18 women produced a commanding 4-1 win while the U18 men battled to a spirited 3-3 draw in Bhopal.
At the Udhav Das Mehta Central SAI Centre, both teams displayed resilience, attacking flair, and the kind of temperament that selectors and coaches would be pleased to see ahead of future international assignments.
The standout performance came from the Indian U18 women’s side, who bounced back strongly in the final game of the series to defeat Australia decisively. Despite conceding early through Australia’s Aurora Kovacevich in the eighth minute, India responded almost immediately with captain Sweety Kujur leading from the front. Her equaliser in the 13th minute shifted the momentum firmly in India’s favour.
India continued to dominate proceedings in the second quarter as Diya added another goal before halftime, giving the hosts a deserved lead. The third quarter saw India tighten control of the midfield and frustrate the Australian attack with disciplined defending and swift counterattacks.
Priyanka Minz then extended India’s lead in the final quarter before Nausheen Naz added the finishing touch to cap off an impressive outing. The 15-year-old has emerged as one of the stories of the tournament, with reports highlighting her rise from practising with broken hockey sticks in Madhya Pradesh to scoring against Australia on the international youth stage.
While Australia still claimed the women’s series overall, India’s final-match statement offered a glimpse into the depth developing within the junior setup.
Men secure thrilling draw
The Indian U18 men’s side, meanwhile, wrapped up their series with a thrilling 3-3 draw that ensured the four-match contest ended evenly poised at 1-1.
India came out firing early, with Karan Gautam converting a penalty corner in the 10th minute before Ben Siddharth doubled the advantage shortly after. Australia, however, clawed their way back into the contest through Jet Johnstone, who struck twice before halftime to level scores.
The hosts regained the lead in the third quarter courtesy of Ketan Kushwaha, but Australia responded yet again through Andrew Faulds to ensure honours were shared.
The draw capped a strong finish for the Indian men after their impressive 6-3 victory earlier in the week helped level the series. Across the four games, India’s U18 hockey teams showed attacking intent and composure against a traditionally strong Australian outfit.
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