India Women’s Hockey Team Lose 0-2 to Australia in Tough Clash

Indian women's hockey team lost 0-2 to Australia in the third match of their 2025 Australia tour at Perth Hockey Stadium. Courtney Schonell broke the deadlock for Australia in the 9th minute and was followed by a second strike by Grace Stewart in the 52nd minute to hand the home side victory.

This was India's inaugural match against Australia's core team following two warm-up defeats to Australia A with scores of 3-5 and 2-3. The Indian team, though losing, demonstrated fighting spirit and registered a number of scoring chances but failed to translate them into goals.

Compared to captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, the Indian team is employing this tour to pick up useful experience prior to big imminent tournaments such as the FIH Hockey Pro League and the World Cup of 2026. The head coach Harendra Singh recognized the hurt of recent setbacks but underlined the value in playing against superior quality opposition as a means for the growth of the team, particularly the emerging players.

India will aim to end the tour on a high note with the remaining matches to be played on May 3 and 4 in Perth.