The Indian junior women's hockey team will aim to defend their title and qualify directly for next year's Junior World Cup when they start their campaign against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup on Sunday.
The tournament, running from December 7 to 15, also serves as a qualifying event for the FIH Junior World Cup 2025, to be held in Chile.
Under coach Tushar Khandker, the team will be led by captain Jyoti Singh, with Sakshi Rana as the vice-captain. Players like Deepika, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Sunelita Toppo, and Mumtaz Khan, who have experience with the senior team since last year's victory, are also part of the squad.
India won the title for the first time last year, defeating South Korea 2-1 in the final.
India is in Pool A, alongside China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Bangladesh, while Pool B includes South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka.
Each team will play once against the others in their pool. The top two teams from each pool will secure a spot in the semifinals and also qualify for next year's Junior World Cup. The third and fourth place teams from each pool will compete for the final World Cup qualification spot.
"We’re excited to start the tournament strong. Defending the title will be tough, but we’re determined to make our country proud. With the World Cup qualification on the line, we’re even more focused," said captain Jyoti.
Vice-captain Sakshi added, "The team has trained hard, and now it’s time to perform. We have a talented and passionate team, and we are confident in our ability to defend our title."
If India finishes in the top two in Pool A, they will advance to the semifinals on December 14. The final will take place on December 15.
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