Women national coaching camp: Hockey India announces 33-member core group

Hockey India on Saturday named the 33-member core probables group for the senior women national coaching camp. The camp, scheduled from June 11 to July 11, will be held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Bengaluru. The camp is part of the team's preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games in China, scheduled for September-October this year, as per a press release from the sport's governing body in the country.

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 to 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 cannot leave any stone unturned if we want to be best prepared and ready in this key tournament," she added. Core Probables Group: Goalkeepers: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki

Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, Mahima Chaudhary Midfielders: Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, Ajmina Kujur

Forwards: Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, Sunelita Toppo.