New Delhi, 9 April 2014: Senior Women Hockey Team will depart for Ireland overnight for FIH Champions Challenge 1 beginning from 27 April 2014.

Packed with zeal and passion for hockey, the Senior Women Hockey Team for FIH Champions Challenge 1 announced by Hockey India last week, is all set to head off to Ireland for a three match test series against their national side which will help players to acclimatize ahead of the Champions Challenge 1 in Glasgow (Scotland) from 27 April – 4 May 2014.

The 18 member team is captained by midfielder Ritu Rani with midfielder Sushila Chanu supporting as Vice-Captain. Navneet Kaur and Neha Goyal will be making their international debut through this tournament and will be guided by the experience of the rest of the players.

Speaking about the preparations of the team, Chief Coach Mr. Neil Hawgood said “This is something that the Indian team has been looking forward for a long time, after playing our last International nearly 6 months ago this is the starting point to build up to the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games”.

In the Champions Challenge 1, India is placed in Pool A with Korea, Belgium and the host Scotland while USA, South Africa, Spain and Ireland are placed in Pool B. India is slotted against Korea in its opening match scheduled for 27 April 2014. Post the matches in Ireland the team is scheduled to reach Glasgow (Scotland) for the FIH Champions Challenge 1 on 21 April 2014.

List of players is as under-

Goalkeepers

1.    Yogita Bali (47 caps)

2.   Savita (65 caps)

Defenders

3.    Deep Grace Ekka (44 caps)

4.    Deepika (112 caps)

5.    Sunita Lakra (15 caps)

6.    Kirandeep Kaur (133 caps)

7.    Namita Toppo (32 caps)

8.    Monika Malik (9 caps)

Midfielders

9.    Sushila Chanu (61 caps)-Vice-Captain

10.  Ritu Rani (165 caps)-Captain

11.  Lily Chanu (22 caps)

12.  Chanchan Devi (97 caps)

13.  Soundarya Yendala (87 caps)

Forwards

14.  Anuradha Devi (57 caps)

15.  Poonam Rani (99 caps)

16.  Vandana Katariya (85 caps)

17.  Navneet Kaur (0 caps)

18.  Neha Goyal (0 caps)