India’s most capped women’s hockey players

Indian veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia will play her 300th international match on Monday against the Netherlands in the FIH Pro League 2024-25 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

She will become only the second Indian woman to achieve this feat, following star striker and teammate Vandana Katariya, who holds the record for the most caps (319) for India to date.

Another Indian player, midfielder Sushila Chanu, also reached a milestone as she earned her 250th cap for India in the previous FIH Pro League match against Germany on Saturday.

Here, The Bridge takes at the top women players who have represented India in the most international matches:

Vandana Katariya - 319 Caps

Indian star forward Vandana Katariya is the most capped player in the history of the Indian women's hockey team. She made her international debut in 2009 and now has 319 caps to her name over a span of 16 years.

She is also one of India's leading goal-scorers and is known for her aggressive gameplay. Recently, she made a comeback to the national team following an impressive season in the Women's HIL.

Vandana, a three-time Asian Games medalist, was also part of the Indian team that finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, where she became the first Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympics.

Savita Punia - 299 Caps

Indian goalkeeper Savita Punia has had a journey similar to Vandana Katariya. Both players began their international careers in 2008-09, and now she is set to join Vandana in the 300-caps club.

Savita is renowned for her crucial saves, particularly in penalty shoot-outs. Her exceptional performance in the Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal against Australia remains one of the finest displays by an Indian goalkeeper to date.

Deep Grace Ekka - 268 Caps

Former Indian defender Deep Grace Ekka is the third player on this list of most-capped Indian women. She represented India in 268 matches before announcing her retirement early last year.

Ekka also posed a goal-scoring threat upfront, showcasing her drag-flicking skills on multiple occasions, including her remarkable four-goal contribution to India's medal-winning campaign at the 2022 Asian Games.

Rani Rampal - 254 Caps

Rani Rampal is one of the most renowned Indian hockey players, known for her exceptional goal-scoring ability. She became the first Indian female player to score more than 100 international goals.

She led India to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics as captain and was also the top goal-scorer for India at the 2010 World Cup, netting seven crucial goals.

Sushila Chanu - 250 Caps

The final name on the list of India’s most-capped women’s hockey players is Sushila Chanu, who recently earned her 250th cap for India in the 2024-25 FIH Pro League match against Germany.

Sushila has represented India for nearly 12 years but often goes under the radar because she isn't a prolific goal-scorer. Instead, she is known for her precise passing and playmaking ability.

She captained the Indian team at the Rio Olympics and has remained a key player ever since, helping the team build attacking plays with her accurate distribution from midfield.