In a big blow to the Indian women's hockey team experienced forward Vandana Katariya has been ruled out of FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024, taking place in Ranchi, Jharkhand from January 13 to 19.
Vandana, who recently achieved the milestone of being the first woman to play 300 matches for the Indian national hockey team, was initially appointed as the vice-captain of the 18-player Indian squad. However, she will be absent from the tournament due to a cheekbone fracture sustained during a training session.
In her stead, the promising young player Baljeet Kaur, who has recently impressed in international matches, will join the squad. Nikki Pradhan, hailing from Ranchi, will step up as the vice-captain. For over a decade, Vandana has been an integral part of the Indian women's hockey team, participating in major events including the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She holds the distinction of being the first Indian female hockey player to score a hat-trick at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's hockey team arrived in Ranchi on Wednesday, gearing up for the upcoming tournament.
“We are looking forward to starting our campaign and interestingly our first match is against the USA with whom we played the previous Olympic qualifiers. I am sure it will be an exciting opening match and we look forward to a good start to our campaign,” India captain Savita Punia said.
The women's hockey Olympic qualifiers in Ranchi are set to be a tournament featuring eight nations. India is placed in Pool B alongside New Zealand, Italy, and the United States, while Pool A comprises Germany, Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic.
The tournament structure includes round-robin matches in the group stage, after which the top two teams from each pool will advance to the semi-finals. The finalists will earn their spots in the Paris Olympics, whereas the teams losing in the semi-finals will compete in a bronze medal match. The winner of this match will also book their place for Paris 2024.
India's first match in Pool B is against the USA on January 13. Following this, the team led by Savita Punia will play New Zealand and Italy on January 14 and 16, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Indian men's hockey team, having secured the gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, has already clinched their spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
India's Squad:
Goalkeepers: Savita Punia (Captain), Bichu Devi Kharibam Defenders: Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika Midfielders: Nisha, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Sonika, Jyoti, Beauty Dungdung Forwards: Lalremsiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika.
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