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Hockey India has revealed a roster of 84 players, comprising 42 men and 42 women, for the U-18 National Coaching Camp taking place at SAI Bhopal. The selection was based on performances from the recent 16th Hockey India Sub Junior National Championships.

Training and Selection Process

To maintain high-performance standards, the initial group of 42 players will be narrowed down to 24 after a week of assessments. These selected athletes will undergo rigorous training as they prepare for the Men's and Women's U18 Asia Cup in Kakamigahara, Japan, scheduled from May 29 to June 6, as stated in a Hockey India press release.

Exposure Series Against Australia

A key feature of the camp will be an exposure series at SAI Bhopal, where both the Indian Men's and Women's U-18 teams will engage in practice matches against their Australian counterparts from May 11 to 21. This camp is crucial for finalizing the teams that will compete in the U18 Asia Cup.

Coaches' Perspectives on Player Development

Rani Rampal will lead the Women's camp, while Sardar Singh and Rajnish Mishra will oversee the Men's camp. Men's Coach Sardar Singh remarked, "This initiative by Hockey India is excellent for developing future talent. Our main goal is to enhance their foundational skills while introducing them to the tactical aspects of modern hockey. I see great potential in this group, and many of these players could represent India at the senior level for the next decade or more. The upcoming series against Australia will give them invaluable experience under international pressure."

Women's Coach Rani Rampal added, "In Bhopal, we will focus on honing individual skills and team dynamics. The matches against Australia present a fantastic opportunity for the girls to challenge themselves against a top-tier team, preparing them for the Asia Cup and future competitions. These young athletes are the future of our sport, and we aim to cultivate the mindset necessary for success at the highest levels."

Squad Composition by State

The Men's squad includes a strong representation from Uttar Pradesh with 7 players, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 6, and Punjab with 4. Additionally, 3 players each hail from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, while 2 players each are from Bihar, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Tamil Nadu. Other states contributing one player each include Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.

For the Women's squad, Jharkhand leads with 8 players, while Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Odisha each contribute 5 players. Uttar Pradesh has 4 representatives, and Haryana, Bihar, and Mizoram each have 3. Manipur is represented by 2 players, with Maharashtra, Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, and Tamil Nadu each contributing 1.

Player Lists for National Coaching Camp Sub Junior Men Players (National Coaching Camp):

Goalkeepers: Ayush Rajak (Madhya Pradesh), Birender Kumar (DDD), Vishal Bada (Odisha), Sawan Kumar (Bihar). Defenders: Ansh Bahutra (Madhya Pradesh), Nitish Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Ashish Tani Purti (Jharkhand), Abhay Shah (Bihar), Deepakprakash Toppo (Odisha). Midfielders: Avi Manikpuri (Madhya Pradesh), Romit Pal (Uttar Pradesh), Rahul Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Karan Dhanuk (Uttar Pradesh), Parvesh Kumar Yadav (DDD), Sahil Duhan (Chandigarh), Arhdip Singh (Punjab), Varinder Singh (Punjab), Gursimranpreet Singh (Punjab), Premchand Soy (Jharkhand), Punit (Haryana), Jatin (Haryana), Arman Soreng (Odisha), Varunpreet Singh (Jammu & Kashmir), Aamod Santosh (Maharashtra), Manish Singh Kunwar (Tamil Nadu), M Kavisakthibose (Tamil Nadu), Daksh (Himachal Pradesh). Forwards: Siddharth Ben (Madhya Pradesh), Karan Gautam (Madhya Pradesh), Gazee Khan (Madhya Pradesh), Prahalad Rajbhar (Uttar Pradesh), Ketan Kushwaha (Uttar Pradesh), Ajay Yadav (DDD), Arjandeep Singh (Chandigarh), Akash Deep (Punjab), Jaysan Kandulna (Jharkhand), Harsh Kumar Goutme (Telangana), Shashank Kumar (Arunachal Pradesh), Adarsh Govind (Karnataka), Om Kumar Yadav (Chhattisgarh), Chirag Saini (Rajasthan), Shahrukh Ali (Uttar Pradesh).

Sub Junior Women Players (National Coaching Camp):

Goalkeepers: Khili Kumari (Jharkhand), Mahak Parihar (Madhya Pradesh), Harry (Punjab). Defenders: Radhika (Haryana), Preety Bilung (Jharkhand), Sugan Sanga (Jharkhand), Nilam Topno (Jharkhand), Kiran Ekka (Odisha), Sonam Yadav (Bihar), Shalini Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sulochani (Punjab), Rashmeen Kaur (Punjab), Anvi Rawat (Maharashtra), Ankita Lakra (Jharkhand), Shivani Kumari (Bihar), Rupam Kumari (Bihar). Midfielders: Divya Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Sneha Davde (Madhya Pradesh), Tongbram Lanchenbi Devi (Manipur), Pushpa Manjhi (Jharkhand), Nancy Saroha (Haryana), Rubina Baxla (Odisha), Kaligota Veena (Telangana), Akansh Mitra (Uttar Pradesh), Lovepreet Kaur (Punjab), Laminganbi Akoijam (Manipur), Akshra Dutta (Jammu & Kashmir). Forwards: Sandeepa Kumari (Jharkhand), Nammi Geethasri (Madhya Pradesh), Nousheen Naz (Madhya Pradesh), Diya (Haryana), Vaishali Sen (Uttar Pradesh), Shruti Kumari (Jharkhand), Harshita (Punjab), Princess Priya Ekka (Odisha), Priyanka Minz (Odisha), Sweety Kujur (Odisha), K Vanlalpeki (Mizoram), Laldinpuii (Mizoram), C Malsawmzeli (Mizoram), Arika Kumari (Uttar Pradesh), Jonisha Defny MJ (Tamil Nadu).