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The Sushila Chanu-led 18-member Indian junior women’s hockey side left for Germany today by an early morning flight to take part in the upcoming 7th Junior Women’s World Cup slated to be held in Monchengladbach, Germany from July 27 to August 4.
The Indian junior hockey eves capped off a long preparatory camp at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala under the watchful eyes of Indian coach Narender Singh Saini and Australian Neil Hawgood, who is the head coach of the senior women’s team.
The Indian team comprises as many as twelve players who were part of the senior team in the recently-held 1st women’s Hockey World League Round 3 event in Rotterdam, where the country finished a disappointing seventh among eight teams.
However, it is pertinent to point out that a large chunk of the players who are part of the Junior World Cup team are relative newcomers, having made it to the senior team in the last twelve months or so.
Barring skipper Sushila Chanu, midfielder Vandana Katariya, strikers Rani Rampal and Poonam Rani are the experienced players in the side.
In fact, the likes of Vandana Katariya, Rani Rampal and Poonam Rani are the only three survivors of the team that took part in the 2009 Junior World Cup in Boston, where India finished ninth.
The rookie senior players who are part of the Junior World Cup team include fullbacks Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo, Manjit Kaur (who made her senior international debut in Rotterdam), midfielders Lily Chanu, Lilima Minz, Vandana Katariya, Ritusha Arya, Navjot Kaur and striker Anupa Barla.
The bright spark of this team is the return of talented striker Rani Rampal after a long-term back injury; she is one player who can turn a game around in no time.
She was not included in the senior team for the 1st women’s Hockey World League Round 3 event in Rotterdam as the national hockey selectors wanted her to be fully fit for the 7th Junior World Cup.
The Blueskirts will play four warm-up games before the marquee event begins on July 27.
Indian eves take on Belgium on July 17 in their first warm-up game before meeting The Netherlands on July 19.
The national team play two warm-up games South Africa on July 21 and July 24.
India will be among fifteen teams battling for top honours in the nine-day event.
