Former captain Rani Rampal has been dropped from the 33-member core probables group for the senior women's national hockey coaching camp, which will be held from April 9 to May 13, 2023 at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.
Rampal has been in and out of the squad after the Tokyo Olympics, where the team, under her captaincy, finished fourth. Rampal did not play the World Cup in 2022 due to failure to recover from an injury and then was out of the squad for a considerable time.
On dropping Rampal, head coach Janneke Schopman had earlier told ESPN that she picked the team that is 'best fit to perform to the best of their abilities'.
Despite Rampal making a comeback into the squad for the South Africa tour in January, Schopman didn't name her for the upcoming camp.
The core group for the national camp includes goalkeepers Savita Punia, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam and Bansari Solanki. Among the defenders named for the camp are Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, and Mahima Chaudhary.
Midfielders are Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, and Ajmina Kujur.
Forwards include Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, and Sunelita Toppo.
The camp will be used for the team's strategies and combinations for the upcoming tour to Australia ahead of the Asian Games in China.
"After the last camp in which we were able to establish our baseline for the needed physical output and addressed individual improvements, we're looking to improve our team structure and tactics. Playing Australia in Australia at the end of this camp will help us assess where we are compared to the top of women's hockey," head coach Janneke Schopman said.
Core probables group
Goalkeepers: Savita Punia, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki.
Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, Mahima Chaudhary.
Midfielders: Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, Ajmina Kujur.
Forwards: Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, Sunelita Toppo.