India announce 33-member squad for hockey women's national coaching camp ahead of Asian Games

Analytical Coach Anthony Farry is set to join the contingent.

Hockey India on Saturday named the 33-member Core Probables Group for the Senior Women National Coaching Camp. The camp, scheduled from 11th June to 11 July, will be held at SAI, Bengaluru. The camp is part of the team’s preparations for Hangzhou Asian Games in China, scheduled in September-October this year.

The Core Group for the National Camp consists of four goalkeepers: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam, and Bansari Solanki. Among the defenders named for the camp are Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, and Mahima Chaudhary.

The midfielders selected for the camp include Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, and Ajmina Kujur.

The core probables also include Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, and Sunelita Toppo as forwards.

The newly-appointed Analytical Coach for the Indian Women's Hockey Team Anthony Farry, who joined the team in Australia for the five-match Tour, will also join the camp. Farry was formerly with the Japanese Women's Team and was instrumental in their Gold medal feat at the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang in 2018.

Janneke Schopman, the Chief Coach of the Indian Women's Hockey Team, expressed the team's goals for the camp and said, “After establishing our baseline physical output and addressing individual improvements in the previous camp, the focus now shifts to enhancing team structure and tactics. Also, the addition of Analytical Coach Anthony Farry in the camp will definitely add lots of quality in our coaching staff and strengthen the team strategy-wise.”

“Moreover, our recent tour of Australia, where we played five matches against the hosts, helped us identify the areas that require immediate attention and need to be worked upon to improve as a team. With Hangzhou Asian Games approaching fast, we can’t leave any stone unturned if we want to best prepared and ready in this key tournament,” she added.

Indian women's hockey team squad

Goalkeepers

1. Savita, 2. Rajani Etimarpu, 3. Bichu Devi Kharibam , 4. Bansari Solanki

Defenders

5. Deep Grace Ekka, 6. Gurjit Kaur, 7. Nikki Pradhan, 8. Udita, 9. Ishika Chaudhary, 10. Akshata Abaso Dhekale, 11. Jyoti Chhatri, 12. Mahima Chaudhary  

Midfielders

13. Nisha, 14. Salima Tete, 15. Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, 16. Jyoti, 17. Navjot Kaur, 18. Monika, 19. Mariana Kujur, 20. Sonika, 21. Neha, 22. Baljeet Kaur, 23. Reena Khokhar, 24. Vaishnavi Phalke, 25. Ajmina Kujur

Forwards

26. Lalremsiami, 27. Navneet Kaur, 28. Vandana Katariya, 29. Sharmila Devi, 30. Deepika, 31. Sangita Kumari, 32. Mumtaz Khan, 33. Sunelita Toppo