Hockey India names players for Youth Olympic Games Qualifiers

 ##BIG-IMAGE#New Delhi : Hockey India on Monday announced a list of nine players each for the junior Indian men and women's hockey teams for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games Qualifiers, beginning on April 25 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The five-day event is a qualifying event for Youth Olympic Games 2018 to be held at Buenos Aires, Argentina which will follow the futuristic Hockey 5's format.

Vivek Sagar Prasad, who is currently representing the Indian men's hockey team at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, will lead the nine-member junior men's team while Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem will shoulder the responsibility of vice-captain.

The team includes goalkeeper Prashant Kumar Chauhan, defenders Rabichandra along with Sanjay while the midfield will see Vivek joined by Shivam Anand, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar and Yashdeep Siwach.

Forwards Mohd. Alishan and Maninder Singh too find themselves in the Indian squad, who are grouped with Korea, Japan, Hong Kong China, and Thailand in Pool A.

The junior women's team, on the other hand, will be captained by Salima Tete and vice-captained by Lalremsiami, who is in Gold Coast with the Indian women's team for the Commonwealth Games.

Bichu Devi Kharibam will guard India's goalpost while Salima, Ishika Chaudhary will form the defence, Baljeet Kaur and Chetna will play as midfielders and Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, Deepika Junior and Lalremsiami will be India's forwards at the events.

The junior Indian men's team will play their first match against Thailand on the opening day while the junior women will begin their campaign against Singapore on the same day.

"The teams are currently training in Agra at the five-a-side Hockey Facility. For some of the athletes this will be their first major international exposure, we also have players who have the experience of playing for the senior Indian teams and will certainly be able to share their knowledge of international expectations with the rest of them," stated David John, Director, High Performance, Hockey India.

Junior men's team:

Goalkeeper: Prashant Kumar Chauhan

Defenders :Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem (Vice Captain), Sanjay

Midfielders: Vivek Sagar Prasad (Captain), Shivam Anand, Rahul Kumar Rajbhar, Yashdeep Siwach

Forwards: Mohd. Alishan, Maninder Singh

Junior Women's Team

Goalkeeper: Bichu Devi Kharibam

Defenders: Salima Tete (Captain), Ishika Chaudhary

Midfielders: Baljeet Kaur, Chetna

Forwards: Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, Deepika (Jr.), Lalremsiami (Vice Captain).