Hockey India today announced an 18-member Indian team, including Sunelita Toppo as the only player from Odisha for the 8th Women Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament, scheduled to be held at Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Rajgir, Bihar from 11 to 20 November 2024.

Salima Tete will lead the team with Navneet Kaur as her deputy. The team will be accompanied by as many as 10 coaches and support staff, including Chief Coach Harendra Singh. Among the support staff, there is a man named Artur Lucas, whose designation is Foreign Chief Analyst.

It is a matter of concern that despite Odisha Government being the sponsors of the Indian hockey teams and Dilip Tirkey heading Hockey India as its president, representation of Odisha players in National hockey teams is getting reduced continuously.

None among Odisha women internationals such as Jyoti Chhatri, Mariana Kujur, Ajmina Kujur, Jiwan Kishori Toppo, Madhuri Kindo, Anjali Barwa, Mamita Oram, Dipi Monika Toppo and Nikita Toppo were considered for the Asian Champions Trophy.

Though Sunelita is a forward, she has been included in the Indian team as a mid-fielder. A product of SAI Training Centre, Sundargarh, Sunelita was part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the Junior Asia Cup last year in Japan.

Best six National teams of Asia will compete in the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, which was first held in 2010. South Korea has been the most successful team, winning the gold medal three times. India and Japan have won the title twice each.

Besides bagging the two gold medals in 2016 and 2023, India has claimed silver medal twice (2013 and 2018) and bronze medal once (2010). Other five participating nations of the upcoming biennial tournament are: reigning Olympic silver medalists China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Defending champions India will open their campaign against Malaysia on November 11.

INDIAN WOMEN HOCKEY TEAM FOR ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY:

Goalkeepers: Savita Punia, Bichu Devi Kharibam.
Defenders: Udita Duhan, Jyoti Rumawat, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Ishika Chaudhary.
Mid-fielders: Neha Goyal, Salima Tete, Sharmila Devi, Manisha Chauhan, Sunelita Toppo, Lalremsiami Hmarzote.
Forwards: Navneet Kaur, Preeti Dubey, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Beauty Dungdung.
Coaches & Support Staff: Harendra Singh (Chief Coach), Dave Smolenaars    (Analytical Coach), Adrian Dsouza (Coach), Ankitha BS (Coach), Edison Elias (Scientific Advisor), Rakhi Vinay Darne (Head Physiotherapist), Priya Sirohi (Assistant Physiotherapist), Artur Lucas (Foreign Chief Analyst), Amuthaprakash Perumal (Video Analyst), Pushpavathy F (Masseuse).