Savita Punia to lead Indian women’s hockey team to Australia - full squad
The tour, scheduled from May 18 to 27, will be part of the Indian team’s preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023.
Hockey
Hockey India, on Monday, named a 20-member Indian women’s hockey team for the five-match series against Australia, to be held in Adelaide from May 18 to 27 this year. Veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia will be the captain while Deep Grace Ekka will be her deputy.
The tour will be part of the team’s preparation ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, scheduled in September-October.
India will open the tour with their first match against Australia on May 18. The second and third matches will be played on May 20 and May 21, respectively. The Indian team will also play Australia 'A' on May 25 and 27. All five matches will be played at the Mate Stadium in Adelaide.
The Australian women's hockey team is currently ranked third in the world while the Indian team is ranked eighth.
India beat three-time Olympic gold medallists Australia 1-0 in the quarter-finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The two teams also met in the Commonwealth Games 2022 semi-finals in Birmingham, which Australia won after a penalty shoot-out.
Indian women’s hockey team squad for Australia tour 2023
Goalkeepers: Savita Punia, Bichu Devi Kharibam
Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Nikki Pradhan, Ishika Chaudhary, Udita, Gurjit Kaur
Midfielders: Nisha, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Salima Tete, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Sonika, Jyoti, Baljeet Kaur
Forwards: Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Sangita Kumari, Sharmila Devi