New Delhi, May 4 -- Nausheen Naz, all of 15, caught everyone's eye at the Hockey India sub-junior nationals last month. The youngster from Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, scored nine goals to finish as the top scorer. She has the natural instincts of a striker but needs to develop her skills and game awareness. At the national camp in Bhopal, Nausheen is learning to keep the ball on the forehand which will allow her a good view of defenders, to always watch for her teammates and most importantly, not to work alone. "The more you play along with others, the more opportunities you will create," is the coach's message. These are crucial lessons for a young talent, coming not from just another coach but one of India's finest strikers, Rani Rampal. Rani is grooming India's future talent at the sub-junior girls' national camp in Bhopal. On the boys' side, another great, Sardar Singh, has taken on the responsibility of shaping the next generation. Both have been roped in by Hockey India with a clear strategy to build a pipeline of players for the senior team. The Indian men's team has revived its hockey legacy, winning back-to-back Olympic medals. The women's team, under Rani, delivered a stirring performance at the Tokyo Olympics, narrowly missing bronze. However, their form has dipped since, and coach Sjoerd Marijne, who assembled that talented, dogged bunch together, is back at the helm. What has been lacking in both teams is a steady transition of players to the elite level. For that, Hockey India is focusing on a grassroots programme to bridge the gap from sub-junior to senior level. "If you follow the same training pattern from sub-junior to junior and senior level, it will create a chain that will seamlessly help in the transition of players," Rani told HT. "We have players who are very young - 14, 15 and 16-year-olds - and it is the right time to put them through a structured system and prepare them for the national teams." "Children will take time to understand the system, develop tactical skills and match awareness. This is a good programme where they are getting proper coaches, strength and conditioning support and physios. We observe the senior team's structures, defensive and attacking, and try to instil those habits early." There are 42 players each in the boys' and girls' sub-junior camps preparing for the U-18 Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan. The Australian under-18 team will tour Bhopal for an exposure series ahead of the tournament. Former captain Sardar, one of India's finest midfield playmakers, agrees transition has been an issue, but says it is improving. "In Europe, even if four players are out, the next four are ready. Five to seven years ago, we struggled for replacements. Now we have a core group of 30-40 players, and with the return of the HIL, we are getting good talent. With junior and sub-junior programmes, we will build enough bench strength," Sardar said. Both Rani and Sardar stress that modern hockey demands all-round ability. "You can't blame defenders or strikers," says Rani. "Now the first line of defence is the strikers. And if you want to score, it starts with defending. So it's about the whole team executing the plans." "For a striker, finishing or earning a PC is a skill you build over years," she added. "If I get the ball in the D, I must convert. That mindset takes time, learning and constant improvement." The youngsters are learning game awareness and communication, something only top-level experience can teach. "We tell them what modern hockey demands: skills with and without the ball, when to use different strokes. If a teammate is under pressure, don't force the pass. Game awareness is key," says Sardar. Team bonding is another challenge, with players coming from diverse and often difficult backgrounds. "We encourage them to communicate to open up and connect. It's a new environment, but gradually they grow together," says Rani, who herself rose from humble beginings to become a world class goal-scorer for India....