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The Indian women's hockey team embarks on a new Olympic cycle with the defense of its Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) title at home. Having endured a challenging year with limited victories, the team aims to turn the tide and showcase their resilience.Led by captain Salima Tete, India boasts a blend of youth and experience. Striker Navneet Kaur serves as Tete's deputy, bringing a wealth of attacking prowess. The team faces stiff competition from reigning Olympic silver medalists China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand.India's defense will be anchored by a solid lineup featuring Udita, Jyoti, Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke. The midfield will be marshaled by Tete, Neha, Sharmila Devi, Manisha Chauhan, Sunelita Toppo, and Lalremsiami.The forward line-up boasts the likes of Navneet Kaur, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Preeti Dubey, and Beauty Dungdung. Goalkeeping duties will be shared between the experienced Savita and rising talent Bichu Devi Kharibam.Sushila and Beauty Dungdung make their return to the team after successful rehabilitation. India enters the tournament as one of the favorites alongside China, ranked sixth in the world. South Korea has won the tournament thrice, while Japan has claimed it twice.After missing out on Olympic qualification, India's new coach Harendra Singh aims to instill a renewed sense of purpose and focus on fitness. Captain Tete acknowledges the team's past struggles and emphasizes the importance of moving forward.The tournament marks the beginning of a new journey for the Indian women's hockey team, with their sights set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Indian women's hockey team captain Salima Tete has identified fitness and mental toughness as key areas where the team needs to improve after a disappointing period following their historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.Since their success in Tokyo, the team has failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics and has performed poorly in the FIH Pro League. Tete believes that a lack of fitness and mental resilience has contributed to these setbacks."We had to start from the beginning, from scratch," said Tete. "Fitness was an area that Harendra sir [chief coach Harendra Singh] had pointed out and which needs a lot of work."Tete acknowledged that the team had neglected fitness in the past, but under Singh's guidance, they have made significant progress. "We do work on our strength. I also noticed that we were not able to lift so much weight. The girls are now squatting more than 100kgs. This shows that we are working on our fitness."Mental toughness is another area where the team has focused on improving. They underwent an intensive mental strengthening and team building camp at the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala earlier this year."We didn't have mental experience," said Tete. "So, it [the camp] was very good. We didn't know how it was going to be. It was very hard but we handled it."Tete believes that the team has learned valuable lessons from their recent setbacks and is determined to bounce back. "We have learned that we won't get anything if we don't work hard. We won't be able to keep up."The team's focus is now on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and finishing on the podium. "A new season has started for Indian women's hockey," said Tete. "The aim is to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics and finish on the podium there."India will enter the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy as the defending champions, and Tete is confident that the team can retain their title. "We want to win this championship," she said. "We don't think about results, we just want to play our game."

Salima Tete has been appointed as the captain of the 18-member Indian women's hockey team for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held from November 11 to 20 at the newly-developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar. Navneet Kaur will serve as Tete's deputy.India enters the competition as the defending champions, having clinched the title at last year's edition in Ranchi. The team will face stiff competition from five other nations, including reigning Olympic silver-medallists China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, in the battle for continental supremacy.Tete, a dynamic mid-fielder, expressed her excitement and determination to lead the team to another successful campaign. "It's an incredible feeling to lead the team into another major tournament, especially as defending champions," she said. "We have trained rigorously and have a strong unit with both experienced players and young talent. Our goal is to defend our title and play with the same passion and determination we showed last year."The goalkeeping duties will be shared between the experienced Savita and rising talent Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defence will be anchored by a solid line-up, featuring Udita, Jyoti, Ishika Chaudhary, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, and Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke.In the mid-field, captain Tete will be supported by Neha, Sharmila Devi, Manisha Chauhan, Sunelita Toppo, and Lalremsiami, all known for their dynamic play. The forward line-up boasts firepower with Navneet Kaur, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Preeti Dubey, and Beauty Dungdung leading the charge.Notably, Sushila and Beauty Dungdung make their return to the team after successfully completing their rehabilitation. "We are confident in our preparation and the chemistry we've built within the team," said vice-captain Navneet. "Playing in front of our home crowd is a huge boost, and we are ready to face tough competition from the best teams in Asia."India will open their campaign against Malaysia on November 11. The team is determined to defend their title and continue their dominance in Asian hockey.

The Indian women's hockey team has undergone a leadership change, with Salima Tete taking over as captain from Savita Punia. The decision was made with an eye towards the future, including the 2026 World Cup and Asian Games, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.Tete, 22, has been a regular member of the squad since 2019 and has helped India win several medals, including bronze at the 2022 Asia Cup, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games. She was also named Player of the Year 2023 by Hockey India."I am happy that I have been appointed to lead the team," said Tete. "It is a big responsibility and I am looking forward to this new role. We have a strong squad and it's a mix of experienced and young players."Tete will be supported by Navneet Kaur, who has replaced Deep Grace Ekka as vice-captain. The 28-year-old Kaur will share duties as an attacking midfielder."In the upcoming Belgium and England legs of the Pro League, we look to put our strong foot forward," said Kaur. "We have been training rigorously in the camp. We have worked on areas where we needed to improve. I am sure that we will put up good performances and get the results we desire."Savita, 33, will continue to play as a goalkeeper, along with Bichu Devi Kharibam. The defensive line-up includes Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika, Jyoti Chhatri, and Mahima Chaudhary.The midfield will be marshalled by Tete, Kaur, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Jyoti, Baljeet Kaur, Manisha Chauhan, and Lalremsiami. The forward line will have Mumtaz Khan, Sangita Kumari, Deepika, Sharmila Devi, Preeti Dubey, Vandana Katariya, Sunelita Toppo, and Deepika Soreng.India has had a mixed performance in the Pro League so far, with two outright wins, one shootout victory, and five losses. They will play four matches against Argentina and hosts Belgium in Antwerp from May 22 to 26 before travelling to London where they will face Germany and hosts Great Britain in another four games from June 1 to 9.