Hockey India has announced a revamped squad comprising 18 members for the Women's Asian Champions Trophy next month. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar from November 11 to 20. Salima Tete has been named the captain of the team while Navneet Kaur will be her deputy for the competition.
India are the defending champions of the Asian Champions Trophy having clinched the title last year in Ranchi. The reigning Olympic silver medallists China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand are the other five nations taking part in the tournament. As far as the squad is concerned, Sushila and Beauty Dungdung have made their comeback after recovering from their respective injuries.
Skipper Salima is confident that the team doing well as she stated that their main aim is to defend the trophy and is also excited to lead India. "It’s an incredible feeling to lead the team into another major tournament, especially as defending champions. We’ve trained rigorously and have a strong unit with both experienced players and young talent. Our goal is to defend our title and play with the same passion and determination we showed last year," she said.
Meanwhile, vice-captain Navneet Kaur highlighted the importance of playing in front of home fans while stating that the team is ready to face tough opposition. "We are confident in our preparation and the chemistry we’ve built within the team. Playing in front of our home crowd is a huge boost, and we are ready to face tough competition from the best teams in Asia. Working alongside Salima has been great, and we are determined to make this tournament a memorable one," she said. India are set to face Malaysia in their tournament opener on November 11 at 7:30 PM IST.
India’s squad for the Bihar Women's Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024:
Goalkeepers: Savita, Bichu Devi Kharibam
Defenders: Udita, Jyoti, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary
Midfielders: Neha, Salima Tete, Sharmila Devi, Manisha Chauhan, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami
Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Preeti Dubey, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Beauty Dungdung
