With 200-plus caps, Nikki Pradhan in key role for India's Nations Cup campaign

KOLKATA: As the Indian women’s hockey team opens its campaign in the Nations Cup in New Zealand next week, one player who would love to turn back the clock is Jharkhand’s first woman Olympian, Nikki Pradhan .


During the World Cup qualifiers in Hyderabad earlier this year, the defender earned her 200th international cap — a milestone achieved by only nine Indian players so far — and will now hope to help India earn promotion back to the Pro League by winning the Nations Cup.






For Nikki, the tournament carries added significance. Two years ago, she suffered a meniscus injury on her left knee and was sidelined for several months before making her return in 2025.


“It wasn’t very serious, but it was enough to trouble me. The team supported me a lot and kept me in camp. If I had gone home, I might not have been able to make a comeback. Being in Bengaluru helped me recover and return to form. The recovery took almost a year, but I’m happy to be back,” said Pradhan before the team left for Australia last month.
Her elder sister, Sashi Pradhan, also a former hockey player, never doubted her resolve though. “She was hell-bent on continuing to play for India for as long as she could,” Sashi said.


Nikki not only returned to the side for the Pro League matches in 2025 but also played a key role in helping the team finish second in the qualifiers, where she earned her 200th international cap and helped India secure a place at the World Cup.


“It’s a significant achievement — playing 200 matches for the country isn’t easy. Coming from where I do and reaching this stage is a moment of immense pride. I feel very happy to have represented my country for so long,” said 32-year-old Nikki, who hails from Hesel village in Khunti.


Recalling her early days, she added: “Back home in Jharkhand, people didn’t really know me then, so they started finding out who I was as I headed to the Rio Olympics in 2016.”


“Since then, hockey has grown a lot in Jharkhand. Players like Salima Tete, Sangita Kumari, Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng have come through, and that makes me very happy. There had been a gap earlier, but now things are going well.”


Another source of satisfaction for the senior player is the steady rise of youngsters in the squad, including Lalthantluangi, who is set to become only the third player from Mizoram to represent the Indian women’s team.


“She has done a great job in defence and had a strong debut in Argentina. Players like Shilpi Dabas and Sonam are also working very hard,” Pradhan said. “We keep things simple for them — don’t overthink, play freely and work hard. As seniors, we guide them and handle the rest.”


With a challenging campaign ahead, that guidance could prove crucial for a young Indian side looking to earn its way back to the Pro League and re-establish itself among the world’s elite.