Top five Indian women's hockey players to look forward to in the future

These five players can be stars for the Women in Blue in the years to come.

The Indian women's hockey team are going through rapid development. They made history, as they finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. So, naturally expectations from these women have increased. The quality of these Indian players has also gone up exponentially. The current team has a bunch of skillful players. They have the potential to be big stars in the future. Even the junior team are brimming with talent and waiting for their turn to participate in the big league.

We are going to do a countdown of the most gifted young players in the Indian squad. These players have either already stepped up to the senior squad or are about to. But, there's a spark about them that commands attention.

5. Madhuri Kindo

Madhuri Kindo is one of the youngest Indian women's hockey players to look forward to in the future. Kindo was born on 25th February 2002 and is just 19-years-old. The goalkeeper was discovered because of her stellar performances at the junior nationals last year.

She was recently called up to be part of the 66-member junior Indian women's hockey camp at SAI, Bengaluru. Kindo could be the perfect replacement for Savita Punia, if she keeps up her quality of performances. There's still time for that, but she surely would be looking to get some success under her belt at the junior level first.

4. Mamita Oram

Defender Mamita Oram is the youngest on this list of talented Indian women's hockey players of the future. This 17-year-old is another product from Odisha. Just like Madhuri, she was also called up to the junior Indian women's hockey camp at SAI, Bengaluru because of her incredible performance at the junior nationals.

A former cadet of the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, Mamita's ability to intercept at crucial moments and hold up the defence to thwart the opposition will be much-needed in the Indian team. For a team to concentrate on its attack it also has to ensure that its defence is doing their job. Mamita can bring in that stability in the senior team.

3. Salima Tete

This 20-year-old midfielder has already made multiple appearances for the senior squad. The young girl from Simdega, Jharkhand has picked up the hockey stick in a family of farmers. Though her father did play hockey at one point but not on a stage like her.

She made her debut for the senior side in 2017 in Belarus and hasn't looked back since. Tete has represented India in more than 44 games and is a key figure in midfield. The silver medalist of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games has become an indispensable part of the Indian middle line. Her most recent success was at this year's Asia Cup in Muscat, where India won bronze.

2. Sharmila Devi

Sharmila Devi is already making waves in the senior team. The 20-year-old striker is a quality poacher in front of goal. A regular for team India upfront, Sharmila was in blistering form at the recently concluded Asia Cup as well. India picked up the bronze medal at that tournament and she notched three goals.

She scored twice against Malaysia in a 9-0 thumping victory and once against China in their bronze medal game. She has already opened her account in the ongoing FIH Pro League against China. Sharmila definitely has all the qualities befitting of a striker and will be a huge name in the world of hockey in a few years.

1. Lalremsiami

The youngster from Mizoram needs no introduction. She has already become a household name. Lalremsiami has already made 79 appearances for her country and has 25 goals to her name. She was discovered at a young age by former player and then junior coach Baljit Singh Saini.

She was part of the 2017 Asia Cup team that won gold. She was also part of the 2018 Asian Championship Trophy, where she scored two crucial goals. Siami represented India at the 2018 World Cup, as the youngest player at just 18 years of age. Her goal against Italy in their crossover match is still edged in every hockey fan's memory.

Moreover, her four goals at the Jakarta Asian Games and her hat-trick against Kazakhstan in a 21-0 victory have proved time and again her consistency as a player.

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