India announce women's squad for COTIF Cup 2019

The final team for the tournament have several star absentees.

The All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) have announced the 22-member squad for the Indian women's national team for the upcoming COTIF Cup which will be held later this month in Spain.

This announcement comes after Maymol Rocky's girls have taken big strides in the latest FIFA women's world rankings, jumping six places to reach the 57th position. The Indian team is currently at 11th position among their Asian Football Confederation counterparts with Australia leading the line for AFC, ranked 8th in the world.

Maymol Rocky's girls have been in sublime form in the recent months having registered a seven-match unbeaten streak in which the Blue Tigresses won six matches with dominance. Indian women's national team were dominant in their SAFF Championship triumph in Nepal earlier this year. However, they kept the momentum going with a decent 2020 Olympic Qualifiers campaign, winning two out of three games and were unfortunate to lose out on inferior goal difference.

The Indian women's national team have shown gradual growth and development in the last few months under the tutelage of Maymol Rocky and they will look to carry on the good momentum in the upcoming COTIF Cup in Spain.

Indian Women's League top scorer, Bala Devi who reportedly boycotted the national team with seven other players from Manipur considering their differences with head coach Maymol Rocky and assistant coach Choba Devi was included in the final 22-member squad.

The only shocking factor was the exclusion of players like defender Dalima Chhibber, midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan and striker Sandhiya Ranganathan. Other absentees include players like Crystal Pinto, Archana A., Lako Phuti, Komal Kumari and Sumithra Kamaraj who were in the preparatory camp held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi but were left out of the final squad.

FULL SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Linthoingambi Devi, Aditi Chauhan, Sowmiya Narayansamy

DEFENDERS: Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Jabamani Tudu, Michel M Castanha, Yumlembam Papki Devi, Samiksha

MIDFIELDERS: Sangita Basfore, Sanju, Ranjana Chanu, Manisha, Ritu Rani, Ratanbala Devi

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FORWARDS: Anju Tamang, Bala Devi, Dangmei Grace, Anushka Samuel, Renu, Daya Devi, Roja Devi

HEAD COACH: Maymol Rocky