As the final whistle blew signaling the end of the India vs Netherlands Women’s hockey match in Tokyo, the camera caught a dejected Sushila Chanu walking down slowly towards the tunnel.

Yes, a 5-1 defeat may have looked like a hammering at the hands of the current top-ranked team in the world, but nobody who saw the match would have missed the grit and determination displayed by the Indian women till the second quarter of their first match.

Perhaps this is what makes Sushila Chanu optimistic about the team’s chances in the Olympics 2020. Having led the side in the 2016 Rio Olympics, the experienced campaigner who has over 150 games under her belt is a fighter, be it hockey or the larger game called life.

When The Telegraph Online caught up with Sushila after the match, the 29 year-old halfback wasn’t dwelling on the defeat but was rather optimistic in her views.

“Our opening game with the world champions wasn't outstanding. We displayed good energy and momentum till the second quarter. Going forward, we were always a threat but three goals in the third quarter took the game away from us. We hope to bounce back stronger against Germany on Monday.”

Not known to many, Sushila shares an uncanny similarity with former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Sushila works as a ticket checker at the Central Mumbai Railway since 2010.

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Asked about the difference between the current team and the team she led in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sushila said, “This team has a great balance, with a perfect mix of young and experienced players. We've spent a lot of time together in training. Physically, we are much stronger compared to the past. Credit also goes to our coaches and the entire fitness team for working so hard on us. The team that qualified for Rio lacked experience. Indian Women’s team qualified for the Olympics after a gap of 36 years in 2016, and the understanding was just not there.”

Injuries are not new in Sushila’s career, having suffered a number of them over the years. However, the former captain absolutely refuses to give up and finds a way to make a comeback every time.

“Hockey is a way of life for me. I've been on the field, with a hockey stick in hand since I was 11 years old. These injuries are part and parcel of an athlete’s career. The important thing is to fight back for the love of the game. My goal is to see India win a medal in the Olympics and no injury can keep me away from trying to make that happen. Moreover, my family, coaches, friends and my manager have been a pillar of support. They've stood by me whenever things were difficult and with them around, any challenge looks doable.”

Sushila Chanu is one of India's eighteen Olympic athletes to have secured a sponsorship deal with popular sports brand Puma. Asked about the deal, the athlete heaped praises on the sports management company, Athletes Today.

"Athletes Today have been with me since the end of the Rio Olympics. In these five years, they have always been supportive. Professionalism is something I admire a lot about them and moreover, they care about women in sports.

“Abhishek & Radhika (co-founders of Athletes Today) happened to me at a time when I was struggling and needed the support of external people. They stood by me and helped use my public image to inspire more girls to take up hockey and sports. In a cricket obsessed nation, it's nice of them to get us sponsorship deals from such a major sports brand. I’m thankful to them.”

The conversation, however, soon shifted back to hockey with the halfback focusing on the upcoming games. Asked about the toughest opponents in this year’s Olympics, Sushila named Netherlands, Australia and Germany. “But on a given day we can take them on. It depends on the collective performance of the team,” she said, brimming with confidence.

India has long meted out step-motherly treatment to women athletes and sportspersons. Be it the discrimination in pay or the uneven opportunities for women to shine, the list goes on. Sushila, however chooses to look at the bright side, pointing to the positives.

“Women athletes in this country have been serial winners. Mirabai Chanu’s silver medal, even the performance of women in the Rio Olympics, stands testimony to this fact. Things are changing now with the youth becoming more aware about gender discrimination. Be it men or women, we all share a common goal _ to make India proud on the world stage. I've not faced any issues of gender discrimination so far in my career. We have a professional environment and the credit goes to the Hockey India management.”