Indian hockey colts begin World Cup preparations with tour of Scotland

The Indian junior women’s hockey team has left for Scotland for an exposure tour as part of their preparations for the 2013 Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup.

According to Hockey India sources, the Indian junior women’s hockey team will play five matches against Scotland national side during the tour that runs till May 11.

The national will play the first match on May 3. They have a day off and then play back-to-back matches on May 5 and 6.

Indian junior hockey eves play the fourth match on May 8 before they wind up their tour with the final game on May 10.

The trip would help the Indian junior hockey eves to fine-tune their preparations for the 2013 Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup slated to be held at Monchengladbach, Germany from 27 July-August 4, 2013.

A 18-member squad was picked by Hockey India Selectors Col. Balbir Singh and Syed Ali, along with Government Observer Harbinder Singh, following the recently conducted selection trials at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.

The 18-member squad features two goalkeepers in Sanarik Chanu and Bigan Soy. The team includes as many as seven defenders – Pinky Devi, Jaspreet Kaur, Kiran Dahiya, Sandeep Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Ritusha Arya, Renuka Yadav – a fair indication of the team’s feeble weakness.

The squad has only four midfielders, which is tad surprising.

The women in blue would bank on the likes of Punam Barla, Navneet Kaur, Jaswinder Kaur, Neha Goyal and Hardeep Kaur to rattle the opposition cage.

Meanwhile, the Indian women’s hockey team are in the Netherlands on an exposure trip as part of their preparations for the FIH Hockey World League semifinals.

The Ritu Rani-led Indian outfit earlier kickstarted their campaign in the Dutch tour on a winning note, scraping past Hockey Club Rotterdam 4-3 at the Rotterdam Hockey Stadium.

Poonam Rani gave the women in blue the lead in the eight minute before Hockey Club Rotterdam struck twice.

Vastly experienced Ritu Rani equalized in the 51 minute before Namita Toppo sounded the board in the 57th minute to bring things on an even level.

Experienced Ritu Rani scored the match-clincher in the 62 minute, converting a penalty stroke.

The Indian hockey eves were then handed a 0-9 walloping by the Netherlands national side. The women in orange literally toyed with the Indian defence, breaching their citadel at will.

The world number twelve ranked Indians, went down tamely 1-4 to Dutch club side HC MOP in their practice game.

The squad: Goalkeepers: Sanarik Chanu, Bigan Soy.

Defenders: Pinky Devi, Jaspreet Kaur, Kiran Dahiya, Sandeep Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Ritusha Arya, Renuka Yadav.

Midfielders: Navjot Kaur (senior), Lily Chanu, Manmeet Kaur, Nikki Pradhan.

Forwards: Punam Barla, Navneet Kaur, Jaswinder Kaur, Neha Goyal, Hardeep Kaur.