Indian women’s hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne is aiming to raise the quality of training during the 17-day camp after Hockey India announced 25-member probables list for the upcoming tour of New Zealand later this month.

After a successful 2019 where the Indian women’s team succeeded in qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, the side is scheduled to begin the new year with a tour of New Zealand where they will be playing four matches against the World No 6 side and one against the Great Britain.

Apart from working on key areas such as fitness, ball-handling, structure, and strategies, the upcoming camp will see a rejuvenated Indian side prepare for their matches against New Zealand and Great Britain, a tour which will help the side in preparing for the Olympics.

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“We are all looking forward to an exciting 2020 and all the challenges that will come in the year. We start the national coaching camp with 25 players who have been selected to compete for the final 16 spots in the Olympic team,” Marijne said.

“Because the group is smaller now, we can raise the quality of training even more in the upcoming 17 days before we head to New Zealand to play four matches against the hosts and one match against Great Britain,” he added.

Last year India produced good performances across tournaments as they won the FIH Women’s Series Finals Hiroshima, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Test Event in Japan, and the Olympic qualifiers, along with victories in their tours of Spain, Malaysia, Republic of Korea and England.

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List of probables

Goalkeepers: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam

Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Salima Tete, Manpreet Kaur, Gurjit Kaur, and Nisha. Among Midfielders, Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Sonika, Namita Toppo.

Forwards: Rani, Lalremsiami, Vandana Katariya, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Jyoti, Sharmila Devi, Udita.

With PTI Inputs