Indian eves to start training to challenge French rivals
LUCKNOW : Come Thursday and the Indian junior women’s hockey players would start a new season of training for a better showing in future. The 33-core probables picked up by the Hockey India would not only attend the camp to sharpen their skills, but would also play a fourTest series against France, scheduled to be played in the state capital next month.
The 24-day camp, which begins at the Sports Authority of India centre, would be monitored by coach Baljeet Singh before being culminated on February 17. The Test Series, staring February 8 against the French women’s team, would be played at the Padma Shri Mohammad Shahid Synthetic Hockey Stadium in Gomti Nagar, and the camp would help the Indian eves get acclimatized with the conditions.
Goalkeepers Bichu Devi Kharibam, Khushboo and Simran Chopra have been called up for the camp, while defenders Priyanka, Salima Tete, Gagandeep Kaur, Antim, Ishika Choudhary, Priya, Philicia Toppo, Gurleen Grewal, K L Marina and Reema Baxla have been named in core group of players.
The midfield of the core group consists of Baljeet Kaur, Chetna, Reet, Mariana Kujur, Preeti, Prabhleen Kaur, Jiwan Kishori Toppo, Rozy Bharti, Ajmina Kujur and Upasana Singh, who have all been asked to report.
While Lalrindinki, local girl Mumtaz Khan, Sharmila Devi, Deepika Soreng, K M Arya, Deepika, Savita, Pinki Ekka, Beena Pandey and Sangita Kumari are the forwards who have been called to the camp.
“The upcoming camp gives us a perfect opportunity to nurture this young talent and prepare them for a tough series against an experienced French women’s team in Lucknow,” coach Baljeet Singh states on Wednesday.
“We will be focusing on developing these players, emphasizing on their fitness, speed, stamina, skills, and preparing them tactically as well as mentally, for bigger challenges that the team is going to face in the future including the 8th Women’s Junior Asia Cup,” he added.
Defender Salima Tete, who is currently with the Indian Senior Women’s team camp in Bengaluru and will be travelling to Spain for the matches against the hosts and Ireland, will report to the Indian Junior Women’s team camp in Lucknow upon her return from the Spain Tour. While, Forward Sangita Kumari will also be reporting for the camp in Lucknow once she has completed her rehabilitation at SAI Centre, Bengaluru.
THE PROBABLES
Goalkeepers: Bichu Devi Kharibam, Khushboo, Simran Chopra.
Defenders: Priyanka, Salima Tete, Gagandeep Kaur, Antim, Ishika Choudhary, Priya, Philicia Toppo, Gurleen Grewal, KL Marina, Reema Baxla.
Midfielders: Baljeet Kaur, Chetna, Reet, Mariana Kujur, Preeti, Prabhleen Kaur, Jiwan Kishori Toppo, Rozy Bharti, Ajmina Kujur, Upasana Singh.
Forwards: Lalrindinki, Mumtaz Khan, Sharmila Devi, Deepika Soreng, KM Arya, Deepika, Savita, Pinki Ekka, Beena Pandey, Sangita Kumari (currently under rehabilitation at SAI Centre, Bengaluru).