HI Announces 40-Member Core Group For Women's Hockey National Camp Ahead Of Asia Cup
Hockey India named a 40-member core probables unit for the Indian Women's Hockey Team training camp ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup. The camp is slated to be held at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru between the 21st of July and the 29th of August.
The Asia Cup also serves as a pathway to the FIH Women's World Cup, scheduled to be held in the year 2026 at Hangzhou, China. All players from the previous camp have been retained, in an attempt at consistency and with a long-term plan in mind.
The Indian women's team, which slumped to relegation to the FIH Nations Cup on the back of their abysmal display in the European leg of the FIH Pro League, will look to get back to winning ways at the continental showpiece.
Veterans Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki and Madhuri Kindo, along with rising talent Samiksha Saxena from Assam, make up the goalkeeping contiongent, while the defensive setup is filled with known names including Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita and Mahima Chaudhary, and up and comers Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Anjna Dungdung, Akshata Abaso Dhekale and Suman Devi Thoudam.
The experience of the seasoned Neha, Salima Tete, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Manisha Chauhan and Sharmila Devi will come in handy if a balance between the veterans and youngsters, such as Sujata Kujur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo and Pooja Yada, are struck.
Navneet Kaur, Deepika Soreng, Sangita Kumari, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Dungdung, Annu, Hritika Singh, Dipimonika Toppo, Chandana Jagadish and Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar feature as the forewards on the list.
'The Asia Cup is not just a prestigious continental tournament, but also a direct route to the 2026 World Cup," head coach of the Indian women's team Harendra Singh said.
'We are treating this camp with utmost intensity and focus to ensure we arrive in Hangzhou as a mentally and physically prepared unit."
'We have retained the core from the last camp to maintain consistency in our approach, while also allowing the younger players more time to integrate into the senior structure," he continued.
'After a tough Pro League campaign in Europe, where we couldn't produce the results we wanted, this camp also gives us a chance to reset, refocus, and bounce back stronger. Moreover, we have identified critical angles in penalty corner defence, which was a key area of concern during the Pro League," Singh added.
'The energy within the group is positive. The players know what's at stake, and we'll be using every session to sharpen our structure, decision-making under pressure, and overall cohesion," he concluded.
Indian women's hockey team 40-member senior core group:
Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki, Madhuri Kindo, Samiksha Saxena.
Defenders: Mahima Chaudhary, Nikki Pradhan, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Jyoti Chhatri, Jyoti, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Anjna Dungdung, Suman Devi Thoudam.
Midfielders: Sujata Kujur, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Salima Tete, Manisha Chauhan, Ajmina Kujur, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi, Baljeet Kaur, Mahima Tete, Albela Rani Toppo, Pooja Yadav.
Forwards: Dipimonika Toppo, Hritika Singh, Deepika Soreng, Navneet Kaur, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Rutaja Dadaso Pisal, Beauty Dungdung, Mumtaz Khan, Annu, Chandana Jagadish, Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar.
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