48-member core probable Women's Hockey team named for National Camp

Hockey India on Saturday named a list of 48-member Core probables for the Indian Women's Team National Camp to begin at the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru Campus on October 1. The members of the National Camp that concludes on 27 October will report to Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.

The Camp includes recent Arjuna Awardee Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Swati, Chanchal, Sonal Minj and Jaspreet Kaur as goalkeepers. Defenders Deep Grace Ekka, Sunita Lakra, Sushila Chanu Phukhrambam, Gurjit Kaur, Rashmita Minz, Suman Devi Thoudam, Deepika, Neelu Dadiya, Mahima Choudhary, Kanika Raj, Manmeet Kaur, SP Kruthika and Nisha have been called up for the National Camp.

Among midfielders, Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Lilima Minz, Namita Toppo, Neha Goyal, Udita, Manpreet Kaur, Jyoti, Maitri Ramwala, Anuja Singh, Anajali HR, Shyama Tidgam, Sonika, Puja Yadav and Karishma Yadav have been named.

The Core probables list that includes members from the recent 18th Asian Games Silver-Medal winning team, also features top performers from this year's Hockey India National Championships. Among forwards, skipper Rani, Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur, RajwinderKaur, Vandana Katariya, Anupa Barla, Priyanka Wankhede, Preeti Dubey, Reena Khokhar, Siddhi Singh,  Leelavathy Mallamada Jaya, Soundarya Yendela and Birajani Ekka have been asked to report for the camp.

The Indian Women's Team have ended the season on a high note after an inspiring performance at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where they finished fourth, were runners-up at the Asian Champions Trophy in Korea, made it to the top eight at the Women's World Cup in London and won a Silver Medal the recently-concluded Asian Games in Jakarta. These memorable feats also helped the Indian Women's Team surge ahead in the FIH World Ranking where India jumped up to a career best rank of No. 8.

While the team will approach the next season with an eye on the qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, this National Camp will be more about finding the depth in the group and the right mix of players for the upcoming International calendar. Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said, "We will be watching each of these players closely during this camp and see how the competition is within the group. We will be seeing how the players especially the new comers can cope with the expectations of a National Camp. The seniors too will have to work hard to earn their place in the core group."

Marijne further added that the focus of this camp will be on strength and conditioning with emphasis on some of the senior players put through rehab and recovery after a long and testing past few months with back-to-back events. "Some of our senior players have played continuously throughout the year and naturally they will be carrying some niggles from playing back-to-back events so this camp will also help these players in rehab, recovery and improving overall fitness," he said.

Goalkeepers

1. Savita

2. Rajani Etimarpu

3. Swati

4. Chanchal

5. Sonal Minj

6. Jaspreet Kaur

Defenders

7. Deep Grace Ekka

8. Sunita Lakra

9. Sushila Chanu Phukhrambam

10. Gurjit Kaur

11. Rashmita Minz

12. Suman Devi Thoudam

13. Deepika

14. Neelu Dadiya

15. Mahima Choudhary

16. Kanika Raj

17. Manmeet Kaur

18. S.P. Kruthika

19. Nisha

Midfielders

20. Nikki Pradhan

21. Monika

22. Lilima Minz

23. Namita Toppo

24. Neha Goyal

25. Udita

26. Manpreet Kaur

27. Jyoti

28. Maitri Ramwala

29. Anuja Singh

30. Anajali HR

31. Shyama Tidgam

32. Sonika

33. Puja Yadav

34. Karishma Yadav