Hockey India has announced a strong 16-member Indian women’s hockey squad that will be aiming for glory at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020. The experienced Rani Rampal will be leading the women’s hockey team, who will be making their third appearance at an Olympics. The Indian women’s hockey team has previously participated in the 1980 and the 2016 Olympics.
The Indian women’s team is currently ranked tenth in the world and has a great mix of youth and experience in its ranks. Along with Rampal, there are quite a few members of the current squad who were part of the Rio Olympics squad in 2016. The Indian team has done well under Rampal’s captaincy and had won silver at the Asian Games in 2018 before winning the FIH Series Final in 2019.
As the women’s hockey team gears up to battle it out for their maiden Olympics medal in Tokyo, we take a look at the 16 squad members who have been selected to represent the country at the showpiece event.
Rani Rampal
The captain of the side and one of the most experienced forwards in the country, Rani’s form will be crucial for India’s chances at the Tokyo Olympics. She has so far scored 112 goals in 226 games for the Indian team and has played an instrumental role in their success in the last few years.
Navneet Kaur
Navneet Kaur has become a vital cog in the Indian women’s hockey team since making her debut in 2012. The forward from Haryana will be making her debut in Olympics this year.
Vandana Katariya
One of the experienced members of the side now, Katariya has been around for a while. She was part of the Indian squad at Rio Olympics in 2016 and will be playing in her second Olympics in Tokyo. She has 58 goals in 218 appearances for India.
Lalremsiami
The 21-year-old forward had made her debut for India at a tender age in 2017 and has already been part of the silver winning team at the 2018 Asian Games. She will be making her Olympics debut in Tokyo and would be hoping to leave a mark.
Sharmila Devi
One of the youngest members of the squad, Sharmila Devi is another energetic forward to look forward to at the Tokyo Olympics. She had made her India debut in 2019 and has impressed with her goal-scoring prowess early in her career.
Udita
Another young forward who will be making her Olympics debut, Udita has 32 caps to her name for the senior team and has managed to score three goals.
Sushila Chanu
An experienced midfielder, Sushila Chanu had led the Indian team in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The former skipper will be one of the reliable members in the midfield and her experience will come in handy for India.
Navjot Kaur
The 26-year-old from Haryana will be playing her second Olympics having made her debut at the Rio Games in 2016. She has over 100 appearances to her name for India.
Monika Malik
Monika Malik is another experienced campaigner in the Indian squad. The 27-year-old was part of the Rio Olympics side and will be playing in her second Olympics this year.
Neha Goyal
Neha Goyal has become one of the important members of the Indian squad with 75 appearances to her name. The midfielder has scored 11 goals in her career so far.
Nisha
With just 9 matches under her belt so far, the defender will be making her debut at Tokyo Olympics. She made her India debut in 2019 and has since been trying to cement her spot in the side.
Salima Tete
Defender Salima Tete is the youngest player in the squad. She is just 19 but has already attained 29 caps for the national team. The defender from Jharkhand will be making her Olympics debut this year.
Deep Grace Ekka
Deep Grace Ekka is a defender from Odisha who has been with the Indian team since 2011. She is one of the senior defenders in the squad with over 200 caps to her name. She can also play as a drag-flicker if required.
Gurjit Kaur
One of the best dag-flickers in the Indian team, Gurjit Kaur has 60 goals to her name in just 87 matches for the Indian team. She is all set to be one of the most important members of the Indian team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Nikki Pradhan
The first female player from Jharkhand to represent India at the Olympics, Nikki Pradhan can play both as a defender and a midfielder. Pradhan has so far made 76 appearances for the Indian team and will be playing in her second Olympics.
Savita Punia
A member of the 2014 Asian Games bronze medal-winning squad and the 2018 Asian Games silver-winning side, Savita Punia is one of the finest goalkeepers in the country. She has over 200 caps for India and will be looking to inspire the side to glory at the Tokyo Games.
