After naming members of the support staff for the national women’s hockey team, Hockey India on Saturday named a 33-member core probables group for the senior women’s national coaching camp to be held from April 9 to May 13 at the SAI centre, Bengaluru.
Former captain and mercurial forward Rani Rampal, who has been in and out of the national team, does not find a mention in the list of core group.
The camp will help players to fine-tune their strategies and combinations further ahead of the Indian team’s tour of Australia as a preparatory event ahead of the Asian Games in China.
The players called for the National Camp include 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.
Midfielders named for the camp are Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, and Ajmina Kujur.
Forwards are Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, and Sunelita Toppo.
“After the last camp in which we were able to establish our baseline for the needed physical output and addressed individual improvements, we’re looking to improve our team structure and tactics. Playing Australia in Australia at the end of this camp will help us assess where we are compared to the top of women’s hockey,” said Indian women’s Chief Coach Janneke Schopman.