Under the leadership of coach Sjoerd Marijne, the Indian women's hockey team is returning for another ambitious year. To prepare for their upcoming series against Great Britain and New Zealand, the national side will undergo a 17-day training program at the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru.
Indian women’s hockey Team coached by Sjoerd Marijne’s back for another exciting year after 2019. The National hockey team is set for the 17 days camp in Sport’s Authority of India, Bengaluru. The camp will emphasis on training for the New Zealand and Great Britain tour.
The training camp, led by Dutch coach Marijne, officially began on January 5th, 2020. This follows a triumphant 2019 season where the women's team not only secured their spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but also recorded impressive wins during their tours of Spain, Malaysia, South Korea, and England.
Among the team's most significant achievements in 2019 were their performances at the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in Odisha against the US and a pivotal test match against Japan in August. They further cemented their form by defeating Japan 3-1 to win the FIH Women's Series Finals in Hiroshima. Their 2020 calendar starts with a demanding stretch of five games: four against the world's 6th-ranked New Zealand side and one against Great Britain.
The current training priority for the national women's team is to maintain peak conditioning while enhancing their technical ball control and strategic play. As the world's 9th ranked team, the players in Bengaluru are under heavy scrutiny, as these sessions will determine who makes the final cut for the Olympics. Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne is putting all 25 athletes through their paces to prepare for the New Year's tour. Marijne noted that while the current pool is small when looking at long-term depth, these specific players have already been vetted. Over the course of the 17-day camp, they will be fighting for one of the 16 coveted spots on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic roster. Consequently, the upcoming matches will serve as critical evaluations, with the coach anticipating a series of new challenges in the year ahead.
The Bengaluru camp training managed by the chief coach Sjoerd Marijne plan on exercising all 25 girls for the New year’s game tour. When asked Marijne he said that the number of girls in the current squad is comparatively less when thought about the future. The said lot is already scrutinized; in the 17 days of practices, they will be competing for the 16 spots in the Tokyo Olympic 2020. Thus, the upcoming games will be another set of practices. The coach further said that the new set of challenges are to be expected in the new year along with the games.
The squad is composed of the following players: Goalkeepers include Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, and Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defensive line features Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Salima Tete, Manpreet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, and Nisha. The midfield consists of Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Sonika, and Namita. Leading the attack are forwards Rani, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Jyoti, Sharmila Devi, and Udita.
Goalkeepers – Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, and Bichu Devi Kharibam.
Defenders – Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Salima Tete, Manpreet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, and Nisha.
Midfielders – Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Sonika and Namita.
Forwards – Rani, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Jyoti, Sharmila Devi and Udita.