I would get angry and cry, wondering why I was out of the team: Deepika

Star drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat says the toughest challenge of her career was not scoring goals but coping with months away from hockey after a serious hamstring injury, a period that left her frustrated, emotional and questioning when she would return to the field.

Now, after playing a pivotal role in India’s title-winning FIH Nations Cup campaign in New Zealand, the 22-year-old feels she has rediscovered both her confidence and rhythm at a crucial time, with the World Cup and Asian Games on the horizon.

Deepika, who missed last year’s Asia Cup after suffering a Grade III hamstring tear, made an impressive return by finishing as the joint highest scorer at the Nations Cup with six goals, alongside American Ashley Sessa.

“Nations Cup was my first tournament after rehab and regaining full fitness. It had been a long time since I had played at this level, so I was a little nervous in the beginning. But it turned out to be a good tournament and this performance has given me a lot of confidence after returning from injury,” Deepika told PTI Bhasha in an interview.

The prolific forward admitted that the months spent on the sidelines tested her mentally as much as physically.