Ritu Rani to lead Indian women’s hockey team in Champions Challenge 1

NEW DELHI, September 10, 2012: Ritu Rani will lead the Indian senior women’s hockey team in the Women’s Electric Ireland hockey champions Challenge 1 Dublin 2012 from September 29 to October 7 at the National Hockey Stadium in the University College Dublin. Defender Kirandeep Kaur will be the vice-captain of the team’s maiden assignment under chief coach Neil Hawgood.

Ritu said the team is eager to compete with teams that had taken part in the recent Olympic Games. “We have worked very hard during the camp in Bhopal under the supervision of chief coach Neil Hawgood and exercise physiologist Dr Ben Dascombe. We are confident we will compete hard and do our best against quality opposition,” she said.

Chief Coach Neil Hawgood, who took over the reins as Indian senior women’s team’s coach recently, is looking forward to the Champions Challenge 1. “I have shared my vision of enhancing an already attractive style of hockey that will balance out the attacking ability – and that that is naturally within this group – and to have a defensive side of the game that is as well respected as our attacking side,” Hawgood said.

Hockey India secretary-general Dr Narinder Batra said he was confident that the Indian team would be competitive. “Our junior women’s team recently won Junior women’s Asia Cup silver for the first time and the selectors have included as many as seven players from that team in this squad,” he said.

“We are sure the team will be very competitive in Dublin.”

Besides India, the teams that will compete in the event are Australia, Belgium, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, United States of America and host Ireland. Australia, which finished fifth in the Olympic Games in London last month and is ranked seventh, top the rankings among the eight teams.

South Africa, Belgium and the USA finished 10th, 11th and 12th in the Olympic Games. India is ranked World No. 12 and ahead of not only Spain (13), Ireland (15) and Scotland (19) but also Belgium (14).

The winner of the event will join Argentina, England, Netherlands, Germany and Japan in the Women's Hockey Champions Trophy 2014 to be played in Argentina. Two further contenders will be assigned invitational places at a later date by the FIH executive board.

Team:

Goalkeepers:Yogita Bali, Savita. Defenders: Jaspreet Kaur, Sushila Chanu, Kirandeep Kaur (vice-captain), Deep Grace Ekka, Deepika, Joydeep Kaur. Mid-fielders:  Ritu Rani (captain), Vandana Katariya, Monika Malik, Chanchan Devi,  Poonam Rani, MN Ponnamma. Forwards: Roselin Dung Dung, Soundarya Yendala, Lily Chanu, Anupa Barla.

Officials: Neil Hawgood (chief coach), CR Kumar (coach), Sumrai Tete (coach), Dr. Ben Dascombe (exercise physiologist), Deena Kumari Brij Mohan (physiotherapist), Man Kuvar Rohar (lady masseuse) and Dr Mrs Sudarshan Pathak ( manager).

Hockey India Press release