What happened
India has named a 20-member women’s hockey squad for the Asian Games with a strong preference for continuity. The selection keeps the core of the side that won the FIH Nations Cup in New Zealand and helped India avoid a season in a relegated zone, while making only minor changes in attack.
The squad is led by captain Salima Tete. The team’s stated target is to win gold at Aichi-Nagoya and use that result to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Background and earlier position
The squad selection reflects a preference for a tested core rather than a major overhaul. The reported emphasis is on balancing juniors, experienced players, and seniors, which is a common high-performance sports strategy when a team wants both stability and gradual renewal.
Captain Salima Tete was also the leader when India won the FIH Nations Cup in New Zealand. That result strengthened the case for continuity in squad selection and placed greater weight on retaining the established core for the Asian Games.
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