Hockey India names sub-junior women’s squad for Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship

Hockey India has announced a 15-member sub-junior women's squad for the Women's Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026. The players are attending a coaching camp in Bhopal under coach Rani before travelling to Muscat, Oman, for the continental tournament.

Hyderabad: Hockey India announced the 15-member sub-junior women’s squad for the Women’s Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026.

The selected players are currently undergoing a National Coaching Camp at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal in preparation for the tournament in Muscat, Oman.

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The preparatory camp, under the supervision of former India captain and Sub Junior Women’s Coach Rani, commenced on July 4 and will conclude on July 18.

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as a key high-performance centre for hockey, having previously hosted sub-junior national coaching camps and preparatory camps for the Under-18 Asia Cup. The state-of-the-art facilities at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy provide an ideal environment for nurturing and developing the country’s emerging hockey talent.

Coach Rani said, “The Women’s Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship presents a fantastic opportunity for our young players to gain valuable international exposure at an early stage of their careers. Since this is the first time sub-junior teams will be participating in an event of this nature, our focus will be on helping the players understand the unique demands of Hockey5s while also strengthening their fundamental skills and tactical awareness. We would like to thank the Madhya Pradesh Government for supporting and hosting such camps, which play a crucial role in building a strong pipeline of talent for the future of Indian hockey and strengthening our grassroots ecosystem.”

The preparatory camp is part of Hockey India’s broader vision to build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline across age groups. Earlier this year, Hockey India conducted an extensive month-long national coaching camp for the sub-junior teams ahead of the Under-18 Asia Cup 2026 in Japan, where the Indian women’s team secured a bronze medal.

The selected 15-member squad comprises players who have consistently impressed through the domestic circuit and previous national camps. The ongoing camp focuses on skill enhancement, tactical awareness, fitness conditioning and adapting to the fast-paced format of Hockey5s ahead of the continental competition.

The list of players for the camp: Rashmeen Kaur, Rubina Baxla, Nancy Saroha, Pushpa Manjhi, Khili Kumari, Kiran Ekka, Sweety Kujur, Sneha Davde, Nousheen Naz, Shruti Kumari, Nilam Topno, Priyanka Minz, Diya, Sandeepa Kumari and Mahak Parihar.