Savita Punia rested as Marijne names experimental India squad for Women's Asian Champions Trophy

Veteran goalkeeper Savita Punia will miss India's upcoming Women's Asian Champions Trophy campaign in Bhopal after being rested for the tournament, Hockey India announced an 18-member squad on Tuesday. Head coach Sjoerd Marijne said he will use the November 19-28 event at the newly constructed International Sports Complex in Nathu Barkheda, Bhopal, to experiment with player roles.

India enter the tournament as defending champions, having won the trophy in 2016, 2023 and 2024, with Salima Tete retained as captain. The squad marks the team's first outing since its gold-medal run at the Asian Games in Japan last month. Bansari Solanki, 25, has been named as Punia's replacement after having been part of the Asia Cup-winning side last year, while Bichu Devi Kharibam is the other goalkeeper in the squad.

Marijne has altered several positions to test different combinations: Rutuja Dadaso Pisal, who played in the forward line at the Asian Games, has been listed among the midfielders; Nikki Pradhan has been shifted from midfield into a defensive role; and Ishika Chaudhary will move from defence into midfield.

“This is the moment I want to give other players the chance to showcase their talent on the international stage. Some players will be playing in different positions than they normally do, so that I can see how they perform in a different role,” said Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne. “We are excited to play in front of the home crowd and finish the year well.”

Six nations will contest the title: India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea. South Korea will target a fourth tournament crown after winning the Asian Champions Trophy on three occasions, a tally that matches India's total; China is described in the squad announcement as currently the highest-ranked team in Asia.

The competition will begin with a single round-robin stage featuring all six teams, with each side scheduled to play five matches and the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals; the semi-finals are set for November 27, with the third-place match and final on November 28.

China, the highest-ranked Asian side, will meet Thailand in the opening fixture, and India will begin their title defence against Malaysia later in the day after the opening ceremony on November 19. The hosts' remaining pool matches are against South Korea on November 21, Thailand on November 22, China on November 24 and Japan on November 25.