What happened
India has named a largely unchanged 20-member women’s hockey squad for the Asian Games. The selection keeps faith in the core group that won the FIH Nations Cup and steadied the team after earlier relegation-zone worries.
Salima Tete will continue as captain. Senior goalkeepers Savita and Bichu Devi Kharibam have both been included. The only changes from the Nations Cup squad are the replacement of Sonam and Annu with strikers Baljeet Kaur and Beauty Dungdung.
Background and earlier position
The squad is being retained around a tested core after the team’s recent success in the FIH Nations Cup. According to the coach, the group now has a balance of juniors, experienced players, and seniors, which suggests a deliberate preference for continuity over large-scale experimentation.
Why this matters
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